I Am A Prisoner of Tigerstar
by LenzieKat
Summary: Tigerstar has other prisoners besides the four Half-Clan cats. They wail for mercy, beg for Tigerstar to grant their freedom... But Tigerstar's not going to do that, is he? Rated T for blood, violence, and mild adult themes.
1. The Hunt

**Disclaimer: If I owned Warriors, Tigerstar would have succeeded with his plans, and Ashfur would have been made King of the Unicorns.**

Tigerstar surveyed his victories on top of the Bonehill. There was his Clan, TigerClan, made up of the great ShadowClan and the not-so-great-but-still-good RiverClan. Leopardstar was sitting below him, washing herself and pretending like she was still a leader.

_Ha._

He, Tigerstar, was the one and only leader of this Clan, and however much Leopardstar tried, she couldn't pretend that she didn't want her Clan in control of anyone but her. Tigerstar could smell her fear-scent when she looked at him, and her shock and grief whenever he brought the prisoners out for a Torture Session.

Which reminded him…

"Darkstripe! Jaggedtooth! Bring out the prisoners!"

The two warriors nodded respectfully to him and ran over to the foxhole that was serving as a temporary dungeon. As Tigerstar watched, Darkstripe said something into the hole and dragged out a gray tom—Stonefur. He tried to throw himself at Darkstripe, but Jaggedtooth wrenched Stonefur's head back and sank sharp claws into his shoulder.

Tigerstar's whiskers twitched in amusement. Stonefur was such a weak, Half-Clan cat! Leopardstar must have been sleeping when she had the nerve to appoint him as deputy. As if a cat like Stonefur could ever lead a Clan properly.

That thought turned his mind to Firestar.

_Firestar_. Tigerstar spit on the name. That stupid kittypet would die, and the sooner, the better. Tigerstar's long, curved, claws itched to sink into that flame-colored fur, to rip, to tear, to feel Firestar's blood on them, to hear the kittypet beg for death…Surely he would beg, for Firestar cared about his Clanmates, and would want them to live peacefully, his friends, and that stupid she-cat for choosing a kittypet as her mate…An idea formed in Tigerstar's head, twisting and turning, growing bigger and grander…

Yes, surely Firestar would surrender if his friends were at Tigerstar's mercy…

"Blackfoot!" he yelled.

Blackfoot looked up at his leader. "Yes, Tigerstar?"

Tigerstar let an evil smile slide over his face. "I need you to gather up a little…_hunting_ patrol."

*

Sandstorm crouched down and placed her paws lightly on the ground, careful not to let the mouse hear her. She was determined to bring back some fresh-kill, and, as she didn't have an apprentice to train, she had plenty of time for anything.

At the sound of a cracking twig, she raised her head up in alarm, and the mouse scurried away. "Fox dung," she muttered. Then a scent hit her nose, a mixture of ShadowClan and RiverClan. Sandstorm's ears folded back and her claws slid out. "Who's there?" she called out into the darkness.

A massive figure slowly revealed itself, and Sandstorm gasped as Blackfoot came into view, along with Jaggedtooth, Russetfur, and Blackfur.

"What are you doing on ThunderClan territory? Stealing prey?" Sandstorm knew she was hopelessly outnumbered if this came to a fight, and wondered if she could outrun the cats and make it back to the camp.

As if he knew what she was thinking, Blackfoot leaped on her and pinned his massive black paw at her throat. "I don't want to hurt you—well, actually I do, but that's beyond the point—so just hold still and you'll be okay."

Silently, he increased the pressure at Sandstorm's throat and she went unconscious.

"Excellent. Now, Russetfur, help me drag her back to camp and then we'll get the rest."

*

Onewhisker looked out at the view from his favorite hill. He was still brooding over what Tigerstar had said about the Clans joining together, and wanted some time to think.

Suddenly, he heard a thumping noise from behind and whirled around. His eyes widened as he saw Jaggedtooth and Blackfoot of ShadowClan and he opened his mouth to call out. Before he could do that, though, Jaggedtooth had tackled him and torn his flesh on his hind leg.

"What are you doing on WindClan territory?" Onewhisker hissed, trying to ignore the stinging in his leg. "You rouges have no right to be here!"

"No right? Well, I have to disagree," Blackfoot meowed with annoying calmness, all the while circling Onewhisker so he couldn't get away.

Onewhisker decided to see if peace would work. "I won't tell Tallstar about this if you leave now."

"You'll let us go with a warning?" Blackfoot laughed. "On the contrary, _we_ should be warning _you_!"

A weight hit Onewhisker and he sank into unconsciousness.

Jaggedtooth sprang off of the limp cat and exchanged a smirk with Blackfoot. "Tigerstar will be pleased," he commemnted.

"Yes," Blackfoot agreed. "But we have yet another one to take."

*

Graystripe ran along the RiverClan border, searching for Sandstorm. She was late coming back from hunting, and Firestar had asked him to look for her.

Graystripe paused, picking up Sandstorm's scent. But there was something strange…he could smell ShadowClan and RiverClan with it, too, and Sandstorm's scent had fear in it. Graystripe's fur bristled as he followed the trail, and it led him to the edge ThunderClan territory.

"What are you doing here?" an insolent voice asked him. Graystripe hissed when he saw Blackfoot and Jaggedtooth jumping down from a tree.

"I could ask you the same question," Graystripe growled. "What are you doing on ThunderClan territory?"

"Oh, we had to pick up some presents for Tigerstar," Blackfoot meowed.

"Like what?" Graystripe hissed.

A paw flashed in front of him, scratching Graystripe's eyes and making him sink into blackness. Blackfoot stood in front of the ThunderClan deputy and told him, "A present like you."

**Did you like it?**

**By the way, this takes place in The Darkest Hour, if you couldn't tell.**

**This will be told between Tigerstar, Sandstorm, Graystripe, Onewhisker, Mistyfoot, Stonefur, Stormpaw, Featherpaw, and any others that I want to.**

**Review!**

**~LenzieKat~**


	2. Sandstorm's Lesson

**Yes, I own Warriors as much as I am a kazillionare, and as much as I own the world.**

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 2**

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**Sandstorm's POV**

I slowly opened my eyes as I regained consciousness. Ow! My head felt like it had been sat on. I closed my eyes again, trying to block out the pain, but I knew I wouldn't be able to lay in the den for long, because I had to do dawn patrol along the WindClan border with Dustpelt, Ashpaw, and Whitestorm. Groaning, I opened my eyes again, and gasped. I wasn't in the warriors' den!

Then I remembered. Blackfoot, his paw at my throat, the pain and darkness…

I looked around. As far a I could tell, I was alone, but the place I was at was filthy and tiny. It seemed like some cat had woven thorns into something like a small enclosure that kept me from getting out. Ugh! It was barely bigger than I was. Firestar had described something like it once. He had called it a cage, and said that it could be made of anything. My cage was made of thorns.

I inspected the ground,, which was muddy and my paws sank in it. I hissed in disgust and then jumped as I heard movement.

"Sleep well?" growled a harsh voice. I couldn't see who was speaking, but scent told me I was looking at Blackfoot. I hissed at him, and he laughed and tore my cage apart. I squeaked in pain (yes, I squeaked) as he dug his claws into my skin and dragged me out of the thorns. Once I was out, two more cats jumped on me and roughly pushed me out into the open. RiverClan and ShadowClan scent filled my nostrils, and I wrinkled my nose and shut my eyes as sun blinded me.

I was pushed on the ground and I tasted dirt. Spitting it out, I raised my head up to look defiantly into the eyes of…

Tigerstar.

He was sitting on top of a huge pile of bones that made my fur crawl, and his face had an evil grin on it. Behind me were the TigerClan cats, and I tried to make eye contact with any friendly RiverClan cat, but I didn't see one, nor did I see Leopardstar. I turned back to the huge tabby on top of the bones.

"What do you want, Tigerstar?!" I spat.

He twitched his whiskers in amusement. "I want the death of that kittypet."

"Firestar is not a kittypet! He is a leader, and a better leader than you!" I exclaimed.

Tigerstar growled, and I could see that he was trying hard to keep his temper.

"Why am I here?" I yelled to him.

Tigerstar bared his teeth at me. "Because," he rasped, "if I have Firestar's friends and especially his mate, he will surrender to me."

"He would not! Firestar isn't stupid enough to fall for your stupid plan! You would be, though, BECAUSE YOU'RE A HEAP OF FOX DUNG!"

Tigerstar roared, and I knew I had gone too far.

"Blackfoot! Jaggedtooth! Teach her some respect!" Tigerstar yowled.

Blackfoot leaped on me and sank his claws into my head. I cried out in pain, and then he ripped my belly open ,dark red blood gushing out. Black spots swam in front of my eyes, and then they were red spots, because Jaggedtooth had scratched on my eyelid. Together, the two clawed at my back, and pushed my face in the dirt so that I couldn't breathe. I struggled to draw in air, but all I got was sand in my mouth, and it filled up my throat, choking me, and then I was pushed in farther, and dirt went in my eyes too. Suddenly I was yanked out, and I gulped in a wonderful breath of dirt-less air before I was pushed back in the dirt again. Blackfoot flipped me over on my belly, and got on top of me and started working his way into me. I screeched in fear and pain, and Blackfoot started going in and out, in and out. Jaggedtooth kept clawing me and making my blood flow while Blackfoot forced himself on me, and I wanted it to end, I wanted to die...

"Enough!" Tigerstar's voice sounded and I was released, blood still flowing from my body. I felt weak, and violated, especially after what Blackfoot did…

I tried to see what Tigerstar was doing, but my eyes had blood impairing my vision, and I was aware of a cat dragging me along the ground. It hurt…so badly…grit and dirt was imbedded in my wounds, and I cried out.

"Your crying will only make everything worse."

I couldn't see who had spoken, but I could tell by scent that it was Mudfur, the RiverClan medicine cat. I relaxed, feeling safe for a moment as he tended to my many wounds.

"Why," I managed to choke out, "is this happening?"

Mudfur paused. "Because. Tigerstar is trying to make Firestar give in by kidnapping his friends and mate."

That was what Tigerstar had told me. "And the torturing?"

"Just another enterainment idea he came up with." Mudfur seemed to be on the verge of saying something important. "Sandstorm?" he whispered.

"Yeah?" I groaned.

"Beware of Tigerstar. Steer clear of his plans, his followers, and him. Only by being clever and cunning might you be able to escape alive."

**Ooh… So? What'd you think? Review!**

**Next chapter will probably be Graystripe's POV.**

**~LenzieKat~**


	3. The Torture of Four

**If I owned Warriors, then Leafpool would have stayed with Crowfeather, and Brambleclaw would have been pushed off a cliff.**

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**Chapter 3 of I Am A Prisoner of Tigerstar**

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**Tigerstar plushies and machine guns for everyone!**

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**Enjoy!**

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**Graystripe's POV**

"Sandstorm!" I yowled, pushing at my capturer and trying to get to my Clanmate who, at the moment, was bleeding uncontrollably and being dragged along the ground to Mudfur's den.

"Shut up, mousebrain," growled Russetfur, who was guarding me. She pushed me away and raked her thorn-sharp claws across my face.

For the one millionth time, I regretted going out to search for Sandstorm alone earlier. I remembered when Blackfoot had captured me, and when I had woken up in a small foxhole that reeked like crowfood and almost wasn't big enough to hold me. I also could clearly remember when I had watched—from a tiny hole in the wall I found—Sandstorm being attacked by Blackfoot and Jaggedtooth. I had looked on in dismay as they tore her and violated her, and I had tried to get out of the foxhole, only to be stopped by Russetfur.

Now she was pushing me out of the hole and I was roughly shoved into another, and bigger, den, and Russetfur closed me in by pushing a large rock in the entrance. It wasn't as dark in here as it was in that foxhole, and I gasped as I saw Onewhisker, Mistyfoot, Stonefur, and…

"Stormpaw! Featherpaw!" I ran to my kits, who buried themselves in my fur and wailed.

"Father!" mewed Featherpaw. She fixed her bright blue eyes on mine. "They got you too?!"

I looked at Stonefur. "What happened?" I asked him.

Stonefur sighed, and I noticed he was skinny, every rib showing through his gray fur. "Tigerstar put us—" he waved his tail at my kits and Mistyfoot—"in here because we're Half-Clan. And I'm not quite sure, but I think he took you and Onewhisker to try and force Firestar to surrender in hopes of getting you back."

Onewhisker growled. "When I get my paws on that mangy, crowfood-eating, ShadowClan scum, I'll tear his pelt off." He flexed his claws, as if imagining he was shredding Tigerstar's dark tabby fur.

"Father, do you think Tigerstar's going to kill us?" Stormpaw meowed anxiously.

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "I hope not. And trust me, if he lays even one paw on you two," I looked at my two huddled kits, "I'll rip each and every life from him, I promise you that."

Mistyfoot stepped forward. "And you'll have us to help you." Stonefur and Onewhisker nodded agreement.

"While you rebels are chatting," drawled a voice from outside, "Tigerstar wants you." Blackfoot sauntered into the cave, and I hovered protectively over my kits. "Oh, he doesn't want the half Clan apprentices. Just you four." As he spoke, three other TigerClan cats pushed Onewhisker, Stonefur, Mistyfoot, and I out in front of the pile of bones Tigerstar was sitting on. I scanned the clearing for Sandstorm, but I couldn't see her, and that made my fur crawl with fear.

Tigerstar's eyes gleamed down at us, and then they found me. I glared back at my former Clanmate, wondering how a cat could turn so evil.

"What do you want, Tigerstar?" I spat at the menacing tabby.

Tigerstar unsheathed his claws, which were curved and longer than any I'd ever seen. I gulped when I thought of how badly they could injure a cat.

"Firestar already has noticed your disappearance, the stupid kittypet. And as the next Gathering is tomorrow, he will of course tell every cat there. Since I do not want suspicious warriors on my tail, I have a wonderful plan." Tigerstar waited for one of us to say something. When we stayed silent, he frowned and continued. "I will tell everyone that a few of _my_ warriors have gone missing as well, and their suspicions will disappear. I thank Blackclaw and Oakfur for volunteering to be the missing cats. And now," Tigerstar's eyes glinted with evil amusement, "you four will be taught what happens to prisoners who are disobedient. Jaggedtooth, Blackfoot, Russetfur, Boulder. Teach them."

"With pleasure," Blackfoot growled. "I'll take Graystripe." He ran at me, and I hissed and prepared to fight back. Blackfoot leaped at me, and I tried to throw him off, but I had not eaten since dawn on the day I was captured, so I was weak. Blackfoot easily pinned me down and raked my claws down my right eye. Blood clouded my vision there, and I was half blinded. I feebly batted my paws at my attacker, but my attempts were useless. Blackfoot clamped his teeth on my tail, and I felt hot blood start gushing from the wound, and I yowled in pain. From the eye I could see from, I saw Blackfoot pick up a rock in his teeth. I found out what it was for when he ground it into my back. My fur was worn off, and Blackfoot rubbed dirt into the raw skin, causing my body to scream in agony.

It was too much. I summoned up the little strength I had left and sprang at the massive white cat. I clawed him in the side and he hissed, "Darkstripe!"

Another former Clanmate of mine rammed into me and pushed my head under a deep puddle of water. The water held no air and I writhed, trying to escape. I could faintly hear voices above the surface.

"Darkstripe, let him up. He's going to drown. Remember what Tigerstar said, we can't kill them, just torture them."

"So? He's not drowning yet. I'm just waiting for him to get knocked unconscious, _then_ I'll let him up."

Unconsciousness would surely come soon, for blackness was pressing in on the eye that wasn't swollen and bloody…

*

**Mistyfoot's POV**

I gasped as I saw Graystripe go limp under the water. Had Darkstripe drowned him? I tried to run to my friend, but Jaggedtooth held me down. "I'll show you not to run away," he hissed in my ear. He pulled at my front leg, and I heard a snapping sound, and immediately I screamed in pain. Jaggedtooth had dislocated my leg!

He did the same to my other legs, and my body was limp and I was unable to move—from pain and my legs.

Jaggedtooth grinned. "Did you like that?" He glanced sideways, smirked, and began dragging me along the ground to the dirtplace. I cried as I figured out what he was going to do, and I willed my legs to move so I could get away. They didn't move, of course.

Jaggedtooth shoved me into a corner and pushed my face into a pile of dung. It filled my nostrils and I choked on the horrible reek.

"Eat it!" snarled my torturer.

I shook my head, and Jaggedtooth yanked me back and shoved his paws down my throat. "EAT IT!"

I choked and spluttered, unable to breathe, and Jaggedtooth pushed my face in the dung again. This time he made sure my mouth was open, and I was so disgusted at the taste in my mouth that gave me enough strength to lift my face out of the filth. Unfortunately, Jaggedtooth had pinned me down again and began to whisper in my ear.

"Beg me for it," he growled. "Beg me for torture. Beg!"

I suddenly wondered if maybe if I did that he would let up a bit. "Please!" I gasped. "Make me suffer! Let my blood flow!"

"Good prisoner," he snarled. He slit my belly open and I screamed in pain again. Then Jaggedtooth dragged me out of the dirtplace and yowled to Tigerstar, "This one has learned!"

"Perfect," Tigerstar replied. "Now take her to be treated; I can't have her die yet."

I was aware of being dragged again, and before I blacked out completely, I heard Jaggedtooth tell me, "See what happens when you beg for pain? I give you less pain."

*

**Onewhisker's POV**

I saw Mistyfoot disappear into the medicine cat den, and I felt relief for my fellow prisoner—but fear for myself, as Russetfur bit my ear, tearing it. "Stupid WindClanner," she hissed. "You're going to wish you hadn't let Firestar bring you and your Clanmates back from exile!" She dug her claws into my belly, and tore off a bit off my skin, which hurt so badly I was winded for a moment.

Russetfur backed up, then ran at me and slammed her body into mine, and I felt one of my paws twist as she ground it into the earth. I wondered if it was broken as I tried to put weight on it and it collapsed under me. So, unable to walk, I tried to crawl away, but Russetfur sank her teeth into my tail and dragged me back. I yowled as she ripped claws down the length of my body, and then she pushed on my throat. I writhed and squirmed as my airway closed and my breathing was cut off.

Still keeping one paw at my throat, Russetfur raked her claws down my face and over one eye. Blood covered me.

And I still couldn't breathe.

Black spots swam in front of me, and I was drifting off into a sea of darkness, not even aware that Russetfur had removed her paw and was now pushing me into a tangle of thorns.

*

**Stonefur's POV**

I spat defiantly into the eyes of Blackclaw. I knew it was useless to struggle against him, because I was outnumbered four to one. Since Graystripe, Onewhisker, and my sister were unconscious and being treated by Mudfur, I now had three extra torturers. Wait, make that four, if you counted Darkstripe. _Dirtstripe_, I thought.

I kept silent as Blackclaw sank his claws into my forehead. I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of hearing me scream.

"You might want to stop being all noble and quiet, because it will only earn you more pain," Jaggedtooth growled to me. He exchanged a glance with the others and together they jumped on me and ripped at me as if their lives depended on it.

My silence was broken as I realized my fur was entirely red—blood red. I yowled, all my pain and anger put into that yowl, and I yowled so loudly that Russetfur covered her ears.

Suddenly, my yowl was cut off as something smashed into my skull and I heard a crack.

I welcomed the wave of blackness that washed over me. I embraced it, and felt nothing.

*

Tigerstar's voice rang out to the torturers.. "As soon as the prisoners are treated, put them in separate cages and report back to me. Bring Sandstorm as well."

O.o

**Yay! Chappie 3 is done! Ooo! What will happen to poor Sandstorm? Find out in Chappie 4! **

**But…I won't put Chappie 4 up until I have ten reviews!**

**So…review, review, review!**

**~LenzieKat~**

**Tell me if you want me to have more cats captured. If I'm in an evil mood, I may capture them AND torture them. MUAHAHA!**


	4. The Capture of Three More

**LenzieKat runs until the angry mob had trapped her in dark alley.**

"**Give us chapter 4! We gave you your ten reviews!" The mob held up torches and pitchforks.**

**LenzieKat raised her hands in defeat. "Okay, okay! Here!"**

**Chappie 4, everybody!**

**Sandstorm plushies and torches for everyone who reviewed!**

**Enjoy!**

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**Firestar's POV**

When I lifted my head and saw the beautiful tortoiseshell, I knew I was dreaming. I got to my paws. "Spottedleaf!" I wailed.

Spottedleaf turned her gaze on me, and I saw that her eyes were full of anguish. She opened her mouth, but no sound came from it. Instead, she looked at a figure near me, and I recognized it to be Sandstorm.

Sandstorm jumped up and her eyes were like Spottedleaf's except they had a haunted look there too. "Firestar!" she gasped, and I saw—for the first time—unhealed wounds along her entire body.

"What happened?!" I yowled.

"Firestar, help! It's T—" Before she could finish, another cat appeared and dragged her away. Together, they disappeared into the stars, and I could hear wailing echoing around the sky.

Spottedleaf faded away too, and I woke up in my nest.

"Sandstorm!" I yelled to the darkness. I remembered the Gathering two sunrises ago, when Tallstar had reported Onewhisker missing, and Tigerstar had told of Oakfur and Blackclaw's absence too. It seemed that something—rogues, perhaps?—was picking the Clans off one by one.

Suddenly, I smelled a strong fear scent, and Whitestorm ran into my den, his eyes wide with fear. "Firestar—it's—Cinderpelt—Cloudtail—gone!"

My pelt bristled. "Slow down, Whitestorm," I meowed to my deputy. "What happened?"

The white warrior took a deep breath. "Sorry. But I was on patrol with Cloudtail and Longtail, and Cinderpelt came with us, and then a bunch of rogues attacked us, and they took them! It was all I could do to make it back here alive."

I dug my claws into the ground. So it was rogues. "Come on, then," I mewed to Whitestorm. "Let's check out the scent. We'll bring Dustpelt and Mousefur as well."

*

"Here's where we were attacked," Whitestorm explained. I looked at the scene he showed me, and I saw torn-up grass and dirt, and some dark red stains in the earth. I also saw some trampled herbs, as if Cinderpelt had dropped them when she was dragged away. There were pawprints everywhere, and scrapes in the dirt that suggested the cats had put up quite a struggle. "Come on," I sighed. "We better tell the others."

My Clanmates seemed shaken when we arrived back at camp and told them what had happened. When I addressed them from the HighRock, Frostfur threw back her head and wailed. "Why has StarClan decreed this?" she queried.

"I don't know."

"You should!" yowled Smallear. "You're the Clan leader!"

Frustration made me snappy. "I can't do everything!"

"That's obvious," Smallear muttered. He stalked back to the elders' den.

Dappletail, another elder, gave me a sympathetic look. "Don't mind Smallear," she rasped. "He'd find fault with StarClan themselves."

I sighed and padded off toward my den, hoping for Spottedleaf to give me some answers.

*

**Sandstorm's POV**

"…Bring Sandstorm as well," Tigerstar yowled from the Bonehill. I was roughly pushed out of my cage and Blackfoot grabbed my by the scruff and hauled me to Tigerstar's den. I wished I could fight against him, but I hadn't eaten in almost three days, and my body was getting weak. As I was being dragged, I realized that my cage was in ShadowClan territory, not RiverClan's.

Tigerstar was waiting for us, his amber eyes gleaming in the darkness. As Blackfoot dropped me at his huge paws, I met those amber eyes defiantly. "What do you want?" I hissed.

All he did was shove me further into the den, closing the entrance with a curtain of thorns. It got very dark, and my heart started racing. I noticed that there were two nests behind me, side by side. I trembled.

Tigerstar turned around, and I cowered at the menacing look on his face.

"It's time," he growled, "for you to submit."

"H—how?"

"Well, first I must teach you to respect your master, for that is what I am. Call me Master."

I hissed. "Never."

Tigerstar's eyes narrowed. "Very well, then." He rammed his body against mine, and I heard my front paw snap as his weight rested on it. I cried out, and my body erupted into spasms. "Please stop!" I yowled.

"Call me Master, then."

"No!"

Tigerstar growled, then landed a blow on my head that sent me sprawling across the den—and caused my head to start bleeding. Before I could get up, he bit down—_hard_—on my sprained paw. I thought that would kill me for sure, because the pain that followed was surreal. I felt as is my body was being torn into tiny little pieces, and that each piece was being burned. "Stop!" I gasped.

"Do it, then," Tigerstar hissed in my ear.

"Master!" I yowled. "Master, please stop it!"

A purr came from the dark tabby. "Good. Now beg."

"Beg?"

Claws ripped down my back, causing me to scream. Tigerstar lifted my chin up with one blood-covered paw—a paw that was stained with _my_ blood. "Beg for pain," Tigerstar snarled. "You love pain. You want your blood to stain the ground. You _want_ torture!"

As he told me that, he raked claws over my face and drove a thorn into my sprained paw. "MASTER!" I screeched, and Tigerstar nodded evilly. "Yes, that's right," he whispered.

He drove another thorn into my paw. "MASTER!" I screeched again. "KILL ME! TORTURE ME! PLEASE!"

"Excellent," Tigerstar sneered. He dug a single claw into my neck, not deep enough to kill, but deep enough to make my body spasm again and make my blood flow like a waterfall. "Now that you have learned that," he flipped me over like Blackfoot had done before he hurt me, "I will have you."

And he entered me, thrusting with all his might, and I screamed out. "NO! STOP IT! PLEASE!"

"I am your master," Tigerstar whispered in my ear, "so I may do whatever I please." He kept on…and I was violated again. Firestar was supposed to be my mate, not Tigerstar!

When he was at last done, Tigerstar looked at me. "I may keep you after all this. You amuse me." Then he called out, "Runningnose!"

Runningnose, the ShadowClan medicine cat, crept into the den and tended to my wounds like Mudfur had. When he was finished, he was sent away.

I glanced at the entrance to the den, and Tigerstar saw me. "Oh, no," he mewed silkily. "You are sleeping in here tonight." He gestured to one of the nests with his tail.

Too exhausted to argue, I curled up in the smaller nest and wrapped my tail over my paws. Sleep came easily.

*

**Thanks for reading! I know that was a short chapter, but I had a lot of homework. Anyway, review, review, review!**

**Next chapter will be from Cinderpelt's POV for at least **_**part**_** of it.**

**Ciao!**

**~LenzieKat~**

**P.S. Send in ideas if you want. **


	5. I Will Not Wait

**You people BETTER like this chapter, because I stayed up ALL night finishing it, fell asleep, and woke up at four o'clock in the afternoon!**

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**Thanks to Tigerstep, WarriorsFreak, Dawncloud, Amberleaf, Revriley, Firestar of FireClan, StormyNight55, Xx-Willowsky-xX, and CRAZEDREADER96 for your reviews.**

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**Yes, Revriley, you got your wish. Cloudtail and Longtail have been captured.**

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**Read and Review!**

**Mistyfoot plushies and 'Murder Tigerstar' buttons for everyone!**

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I lifted my head up as Blackfoot slapped me in the face. "Come on," he growled. "Tigerstar wants to see his three new captives." He and two other TigerScum warriors shoved Longtail, Cinderpelt, and I outside of the tiny cave we had been imprisoned in.

I thought back to when we had been captured, and my fur bristled at the thought of it.

_I was on patrol with Whitestorm, and Longtail, and Cinderpelt had come too so she could gather some herbs. We were by the ShadowClan border._

_Whitestorm stopped suddenly and tasted the air, his hackles rising. "I smell rogues," he meowed._

"_Rogues?! On ThunderClan territory?" Longtail exclaimed. _

_Cinderpelt froze, the herbs in her mouth falling out. "Are they part of Tigerstar's Clan? Maybe they're those rogues that left with Brokentail when he was exiled."_

"_If those mangy crow-food-eaters have set one paw on our territory—" I began, but Whitestorm shook his head. "Brokentail's rogues joined with Tigerstar and took on ShadowClan scent long ago, Cloudtail."_

"_No, actually, some of us didn't join Tigerstar," a voice meowed. I spun around and saw a dirty black tom with four other cats. My ears flattened and I raised up one paw defensively. _

"_Careful," Whitestorm cautioned me. "We don't yet know what they want, and we are outnumbered." He glanced at Cinderpelt, whose crippled leg was shaking with the strain of staying still. "If we anger them, we might not get away without some nasty injuries."_

_I settled with dreaming of very colorful things to do the rogues, and then they began circling us. _

_Suddenly, they sprang. Two pinned Longtail down and knocked him out with a large rock. Only one rogue was needed to hold down Cinderpelt. He began dragging the gray medicine cat across the border, along with another dragging Longtail._

_It was just me and Whitestorm now—and we were outnumbered three to two. One of the rogues jumped into a tree and fell on me—and blackness washed over me._

Blackfoot pushed me down when we reached Tigerstar's Bonehill, and I glared accusingly at the dark tabby seated on top of the bones.

"Greetings, captives," Tigerstar meowed. "Do you know why I have taken you?"

"Because you're a stinking piece of crowfood!" I spat.

Cinderpelt seemed calmer, though the way her fur was standing up suggested that she was furious. "Why have you done this, Tigerstar?" she mewed.

Tigerstar's eyes gleamed. "Because I'm trying to get Firestar to surrender by capturing his precious friends," he rasped. "Now I have his best friend, his medicine cat, his nephew, his mate, his WindClan friend, and soon his sister."

"But why me?" Longtail asked. "I'm nothing special to Firestar! He doesn't even trust me!"

Tigerstar turned his amber gaze on the pale tabby warrior. "I am giving you another chance."

"C—chance?"

"Join Darkstripe," Tigerstar mewed simply. "I can make you a leader, Longtail. I can make you great. What do you say?"

***

**Longtail's POV**

"What do you say?" my once-ally asked me.

I thought about that. If I said yes, then I would certainly be turning my back on everything I had been taught since I was a kit. If I said no, then I didn't know what would happen to me. I knew it wouldn't be something good.

"No, Tigerstar," I declared. "I will never join you!"

Tigerstar hissed. "Are you absolutely sure, Longtail? I will not give any more chances after this."

"I. Will. Never. Join. You," I repeated firmly, but I couldn't stop the tremor of fear that rippled through my body. I glanced around at the few TigerClan cats that were seated at the edge of the clearing, as if they were waiting for something to happen.

Tigerstar paused. "Very well then," he meowed after a minute. "You will be taught with the rest."

"Taught?" Cloudtail mewed.

"Yes," Tigerstar hissed. "Tortured and taught."

"You'd never dare to hurt a medicine cat," Cinderpelt retorted.

"Oh, I would. But there is a ray of hope for you at least. You will be taught today and then you shall be helping Runningnose tend to my other—victims. Of course, if you misbehave, you shall be taught again."

"Other victims? Who else do you have?"

Tigerstar seemed exasperated. "I already said. I have Sandstorm, Onewhisker, Graystripe, Mistyfoot, Stonefur, Featherpaw, and Stormpaw."

Cinderpelt narrowed her eyes. "You are going against StarClan, Tigerstar."

Tigerstar smirked. "So? StarClan matter nothing to me." More briskly he added, "Blackfoot, Russetfur, Jaggedtooth. Please teach the captives—but don't kill them." Then, as if he was struck by an idea, he changed that. "No…Teach them one by one—and make them watch each other being taught."

Jaggedtooth grabbed Cloudtail by the scruff and hauled him into the clearing. "The kittypet goes first."

He unsheathed his claws and sank them into the sensitive part of Cloudtail's body—the stomach. Cloudtail yowled, and Jaggedtooth's paws were stained scarlet.

I couldn't bear to watch this. I closed my eyes and tried to back away, but Blackfoot pushed me and forced me to watch again.

Jaggedtooth sank one claw into the white warrior's belly again and slowly ripped it down his belly, slowly and painfully. Cloudtail screeched. Jaggedtooth sank his claw into the bottommost part of the belly and yanked his claw out. Cloudtail's white fur became red as the 'teaching' wore on.

Jaggedtooth pushed Cloudtail over to the Bonehill and snarled to Russetfur, "Take him to be treated." Then he grabbed me and I braced myself.

I was shoved to the blood-stained patch where Cloudtail had been. The first thing he did was sink his claws into the back of my ear, right where I had been stung by a bee a couple of sunrises ago. I yowled in pain, and Jaggedtooth ripped his claws from my head down to my tail, making my blood flow. I writhed, vainly trying to claw Jaggedtooth too, but I wasn't able to. Instead, he held me down and ripped at my already bleeding belly with his claws. I cried out and Jaggedtooth threw me over to where Cloudtail was bleeding on the ground.

They got Cinderpelt next.

***

**Cinderpelt's POV**

Jaggedtooth dragged me into the clearing and dropped me on the ground—and my body crumpled on my crippled leg. I shrieked in pain and looked up at the sky. For a minute I thought I could see Yellowfang's face in the clouds, sad and sympathetic. Then she was gone and Jaggedtooth had thrown his entire weight on my already throbbing leg.

The pain was intense, almost as bad as it had been in the early days if my accident. It felt like it had been broken, and blackness pressed in on my sight. I forced it back and tried to bear the pain.

Jaggedtooth dug his claws into my flanks, making them red with my blood.

_StaClan help me!_ I thought.

Jaggedtooth scratched me above my eyes and my vision was smeared with blood. I wasn't blinded for long, though, because I welcomed the wave of unconsciousness that StarClan was kind enough to send to me.

But when I saw Fourtrees, I knew I was dreaming.

StarClan surrounded me, and one cat stepped forward. Bluestar. She padded over to me and we touched noses. "Welcome, Cinderpelt," she mewed. "I know what Tigerstar has done, and I am sorry we cannot stop it. But I can do this." She touched noses with me again, and I felt new strength flow into my body, as well as courage.

"Cinderpelt," Bluestar meowed. "You must fight back. You have to escape."

"Yes, but Bluestar…"

Bluestar was fading away, and I woke up in a nest of thorns in Runningnose's den.

_Thorns. _Creative, Tigerstar. Good touch, adding the guards at the entrance.

My body felt stiff with cobwebs, and as I tried to get comfortable, I knew—I just _knew_—that, someday, Tigerstar would crack—and kill us.

And I was not going to wait for that day.

***

**Yay! How'd you like it? Poor Cloudtail, Longtail, and Cinderpelt! **

**Thanks, Revriley, for your torturing ideas! Everyone, send in ideas!**

**Okay, I'm going to tell you now that this story will not really fit with the actual book—but you probably already know that.**

**Hey, see that little button down there? The one that says: Review this Story/Chapter ? Yeah, that one.**

**Why don't you press it? Come on, listen to it. "Press me, strange person. Press me." Do what Button says.**

**Poor Button!**

**Well, Review!**

**~LenzieKat~**


	6. We Must Help Ourselves

**Here's Chapter 6!**

**Thanks to the people who reviewed.**

**I own nothing. **

*****

I woke up, yawning. I jumped when I remembered where I was, and what had happened to me. Tigerstar was gone, and those guards were still guarding the entrance to the den. It was daylight outside, and I guessed that I had been asleep for a while.

I forced myself to get up and pad over to the guards.

They blocked my way. "Tigerstar ordered us not to let you out yet."

I lifted my lip up to show my teeth. "Let me out," I growled. I unsheathed my claws and dug them into the dirt.

One of the guards, a smoky black tom, looked at me with vicious amusement. "And you think you can get past us?" He looked at his companion, another tom with ragged dark ginger fur. "She thinks she's so high and mighty, doesn't she, Blood?"

Blood smirked. "Yeah, Maul ." To me he meowed, "Do you want to go outside?" He meowed that in a mocking voice. "Does the little kittypet want to go outside and run back to your Twolegs? Do you? Aw, poor little kitty!" He swiped his claws down my face and I fell backwards.

Maul sank his claws into the base of my tail. I yowled.

He let go and hissed in my ear, "If you knew what was good for you, you'd go curl up in your nest and stay there like a good little prisoner. Because if you_ don't_, we'll give Tigerstar a bad report and he'll be angry." He paused. "So if he's _angry_ he'll tach you again. And you don't want that, do you?"

I stared at him, and then backed away and lowered myself into the nest. Ow. I'd forgotten that my nest was made of spiky bramble. I tried and failed to get comfortable.

Suddenly a wisp of scent floated past my nose. I gasped. It was Graystripe's scent, and Cloudtail, and Longtail! Had a ThunderClan patrol come to rescue me? I raced to the den entrance. "Graystripe!" I yowled. "I'm here! Me, Sandstorm!" The guards blocked me.

"Where do you think you're going?" Blood sneered.

"Graystripe! Help me!" I tried to push Blood and Maul away, but I was thrown back against the wall. "What kind of ShadowClan warriors are you?" I yowled.

Maul laughed. "We're rogues who work for Tigerstar, you stupid kitty."

"What's Tigerstar promised you? Leadership of the Clans?" I spat.

"Hunting rights in his territory for three moons," Blood sneered. He forced me back into my nest. I squirmed under him, and he put his face next to mine so that I could smell his putrid breath.

"Get away from me!" I screeched.

"Yes, Blood, leave her alone," a smooth voice ordered. I froze. Tigerstar.

Tigerstar padded up to me. I flattened my ears and unsheathed my claws again.

"Settle down, Sandstorm," Tigerstar meowed. He pinned me down with one massive paw.

"Would you like to see some of your miserable friends?" Tigerstar asked me with a sneer.

I blinked. "What?"

"Are you stupid or something?" Tigerstar snarled. "I've captured Graystripe, Longtail, Cloudtail, Cinderpelt, Onewhisker, and two new additions, Ravenpaw and Princess."

I was speechless for a moment. "You—you captured a medicine cat?"

Tigerstar hissed. "Yes, I did."

"How did you find Ravenpaw?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Oh, I had some help tracking him down," Tigerstar drawled, flicking his tail at Blood and Maul.

"Come on," Tigerstar continued. "Do you want to see your friends or not?"

I nodded numbly.

Tigerstar flicked his tail at Blood, and Blood grabbed me by my scruff and hauled me out of the den.

"Wait!" Tigerstar called. "Use the leash!"

"What?" I meowed.

"Oh," Tigerstar answered smugly. "When I was a rogue I learned a thing or two from Twolegs."

Before I could reply, Blood tied something breathtakingly tight around my neck. It seemed to be the same kind of tendril Twolegs attached to their dogs. Blood grabbed the other end with his teeth and roughly dragged me to another darker den. As we entered it, I smelled many familiar scents. "Graystripe!" I exclaimed. I tried to run to my friend, but the 'leash' kept me back.

"Sandstorm?!" a voice from inside the den cried.

"Is that Sandstorm?" another cat asked.

I was shoved inside and I felt the leash being tied around a stick in the ground. My eyes adjusted to the light, and after blinking several times, I saw the cats Tigerstar had listed; also tied with the leashes. I saw guards stationed in the corners.

"Talk," Blood meowed, "but if you start talking about things Tigerstar doesn't want you talking about, you'll be separated and tortured."

"Sandstorm," Mistyfoot asked me, "where have you been? All of us have been in here together, but we haven't known where you were."

"Yeah," Princess—Firestar's sister, if I was right—mewed. Her eyes were huge with fear, and I saw half-healed scars all over her body. "We were so worried!"

"Princess is Firestar's sister," Featherpaw—who was sheltered under Princess's belly—mewled. "She's really nice, almost like a mother. She and Mistyfoot both are."

I heard one of the guards laugh.

"Sandstorm," Cloudtail meowed. "Are you okay?"

I looked at the fluffy white warrior, who was sitting beside his mother, and nodded. He looked relieved.

"Longtail?" I meowed. "I thought Tigerstar was your ally. Why would he capture you?"

Longtail sighed. "Not anymore, Sandstorm."

"Oh." I looked at my paws.

"Hey, where _have_ you been, Sandstorm?" Stormpaw asked me curiously.

"Yes, tell us," Stonefur meowed. He looked weary, as if he'd fought a thousand battles since he was captured.

I glanced at Blood. He made no movement. "I've been with—with—with Tigerstar," I admitted.

A low growl came up from Blood's throat, but he did nothing.

"What!" Cloudtail exclaimed. "If that crowfood-eating—" He was cut off when one of the guards ripped down his flank with his claws.

"Has he hurt you?" Ravenpaw—who had just emerged from the darkness—meowed seriously.

"I—no," I lied. Eager to change the subject, I asked, "Where's Cinderpelt?"

"Right here," a voice mewed. I turned around—as far as my leash would let me turn—and saw Cinderpelt beside Runningnose, the ShadowClan medicine cat.

She padded up to me and nosed the leash that was around my neck, sorrow in her eyes. "Tigerstar has been kind enough to allow me to help Runningnose and Littlecloud with their duties." Softly she added, " I know what Tigerstar has done to you, and I am sorry."

"Thank you," I meowed.

"StarClan spoke to me," Cinderpelt whispered in my ear. " Bluestar told me they cannot help us, and we must help ourselves."

"Hey, no whispering!" Blood yowled. He dragged me away from Cinderpelt. "Time to go," he growled.

"Can't she stay?" Featherpaw wailed.

"Leave me here!" I pleaded to Blood. "Please!"

"No, Tigerstar demanded that you stay with him again," Blood hissed.

"Stay with him?" Graystripe echoed. "He's not…" He shook his head.

"Sandstorm!" Ravenpaw yowled. "Be careful!"

I was dragged out of the prisoner den and across the border into Tigerstar's.

The dark tabby was sitting calmly in the bigger nest with his tail wrapped around his paws. Blood threw me down on the ground and went back to guarding the entrance with Maul.

Tigerstar got up from his nest and hovered above me. "Maul tells me that you've been a bad little prisoner today."

I hissed at him and flattened my ears. "I will never be afraid of you."

"Is that so?" Tigerstar flipped me over and I braced myself, knowing I could never fight back.

Tigerstar violated me for the second time. I gasped as he did it, and I remembered what Cinderpelt had told me. " 'We must help ourselves' "

I began to think of a plan for escape, and Tigerstar seemed another world away. Until he was finished and my stomach began to growl.

"Am I allowed to eat and drink?" I asked.

Tigerstar smirked. "Drink, yes. But you cannot eat for three more days, for I can't have you grow too strong." He waved his tail at a pool of water in a corner. I drank gladly from it, and it softened my hunger pangs a bit.

After that I curled up in my bramble nest, but I did not sleep—and not because of Tigerstar's snoring.

I was thinking of an escape plan.

*

**Please Review! I need ideas!**


	7. A Newcomer

**I AM SORRY! I know I haven't updated this in forever, but I've been busy! I've also been working on my other fic, **The Growing Up of Tigerstar**, because I have more reviews on it.**

**This chapter is short, but important.**

**I want 55 reviews before I update again.**

*****

**Tigerstar's POV**

I looked at Sandstorm, curled up in her nest of brambles. What was this feeling I felt whenever I looked at her?

It couldn't be love, for I delighted in making her cry and yowl in pain. I enjoyed hurting her.

Though I envied Firestar for his mate.

They were the same feelings I felt for Sasha. I wanted to hurt her.

But I loved her.

Did I love Sandstorm? How could I when I hated her?

Perhaps it was just an obsession, lust.

Yes, that must be it.

It had to be.

*

**Sandstorm's POV**

Tigerstar gave a loud snore, which woke me up. I sighed and stared at the two guards seated at the entrance to the cave.

"Someone awake?"

I jumped and turned around to see Tigerstar heaving himself out of his nest—his soft, comfy, bramble-less nest.

"What do you want?" I growled at him.

"Oh," he yawned. "I was going to meet with someone. You are being moved to a new den for a while."

"A new den?"

"Yes, a—_special_ den." His eyes glinted with contempt.

Blood suddenly grabbed me by my scruff and hauled me out of Tigerstar's den and into the dense pine trees of ShadowClan territory. We came to a den made out of thorns, and I wondered with a jolt of fear why it was so far away.

A wisp of scent floated past my nose. It was a scent I didn't recognize. It had a trace of Tigerstar in it, and some pine smell. I thought it might be a rogue.

Blood dragged me into the thorn-den and I was roughly dropped on the ground. "Hey!" I yowled, but Blood had already gone back to Tigerstar and closed the entrance.

"Who are you?" a voice hissed.

I was peering at the thorns, trying to see if there was some way I could make a hole to escape through when the voice spoke. I cried out in alarm and toppled over.

"Who are you? Did Tigerstar send you?" A shape came out of the darkness and towered above me. It was a tawny she-cat. She was hissing at me and her claws were unsheathed.

"I—um—he sent me, but just to be a prisoner."

The she-cat still looked wary. "What do you mean?"

I sighed. "I mean he had me captured and brought here, and now he's forcing himself on me every chance he gets—"

"You too?" The she-cat seemed to relax the slightest bit, although she still looked suspicious. "I'm Sasha. And you are…?"

"Sandstorm of ThunderClan. Or at least I used to be. Now it seems like I'm just the violated prisoner that Tigerstar tortures."

"Really?" Sasha set her mouth in a hard line.

"How did you get here?" I asked her.

Sasha's eyes clouded over with sadness. "I used to be a kittypet—"

I was surprised about that.

"—then one of my Twolegs died and the other went away somewhere. I met Tigerstar when I was wandering out here in the forest and I met Tigerstar, and some things happened and next thing I knew, I was in this thorn cave." Sasha sighed.

I laid my tail on her shoulder. "It really stinks, doesn't it?"

Sasha rolled her eyes. "At least Tigerstar hasn't gotten me pregnant yet. That would be a nightmare."

"_Which your life it about to be."_

I was startled. "Did you say something, Sasha?"

"No," she meowed.

I looked around for the speaker of the mysterious voice. "Is anyone there?"

"No one else is here besides us, Sandstorm," Sasha meowed with a concerned look in her eye.

"Right…" I replied.

"So, do you have an escape plan?" Sasha asked hopefully.

"I had something in mind," I admitted. "But we'll need time, darkness, and someone's who's small…"

*

**Firestar's POV**

I laid my head down on my paws.

"Firestar? Do you want something to eat?" Fernpaw padded into my den.

I shook my head. "Could you get Whitestorm for me?"

Fernpaw nodded and hurried away.

I sighed. My best friend, my mate, my medicine cat, my nephew, and a good warrior. Fernpaw had learned a thing or two from Cinderpelt, so she was helping some other cats with their wounds, but we still needed a real trained medicine cat, not an apprentice warrior.

We were also short four warriors.

And StarClan hadn't appeared to me since that one dream where I saw Sandstorm.

I'd gone to see Tigerstar, suspecting he might know something about the disappearances. To my disappointment, he was even more clueless than I was.

I had also gone to the Moonstone, but StarClan had been silent.

Was I destined to lose every cat?

Where were they?

*****

**Please review! Again, I'm sorry for the late update!**

**A cowboy rides into town on Friday and stays for three days. He leaves on Friday. How?**

**Answer the question, send in a cat for me to use in the story, and if you get it right, I'll use it! Like if you want to be a member of Tigerstar's guard…or something.**

**Ciao!**

**~LenzieKat~**


	8. Meeting And Mutiny

**I know, I know! More than a month since I updated, yatta yatta yatta. To make it up to everyone, I've decided to use EVERYONE's cats they sent in, and I promise you will get an update within a week. I also made this an extra long chapter, I think it's the longest one in this story.**

**I know I've neglected this story, but I DO have an ending in mind, and I won't abandon this, ok?**

**Here are the allegiances for Tigerstar's guard. Some of you didn't say whether you wanted to be in the guard or not, so I put you in anyway.**

**The people who sent in cats with warrior names I decided to make new recruits; the cats with rouge-like names are rogues Tigerstar knew from exile.**

**Okay, **Hawkshadow **and **Skywing**, I decided not to make you two part of the guard, but I promise that you WILL appear in the story, ok? **

*****

**~********~**

_**Tigerstar's Guard**_**—Rogues and Recruits who guard and capture prisoners and new recruits**

**Blood—the leader of the Guard, a tom with ragged ginger fur with claws reinforced by dog's teeth, bloodthirsty, malicious, delights at other's pain**

**Maul—second-in-command of the Guard, a tom with smoky black fur, named so for his tendency to maul his prey when hunting it**

**The Capturers **

**Exile—a black tom with white-tipped ears and tail, white paws, mean, cunning, sly, in charge of capturing prisoners and new recruits**

**Lighting—a pitch-black tom with a lighting-shaped scar running along the length of his flank**

**Scar—dark brown tom with green eyes, a white chest, paws, and muzzle, named so for the many scars running along his pelt, devious, cunning, hostile**

**Violet—a harsh, but beautiful brown and white tabby with amber eyes**

**Bonfire—a dark ginger tom with a white paw and a white ear **

**The Torturers **

**Destiny—black and white she-cat with icy fire amber eyes and unusually long fangs, loves to attack other cats, causing them pain is her joy**

**Mud—a white she-cat with dark brown patches on her pelt**

**Fang—a light gray tabby tom with a shredded ear**

**New Recruits**

**Amberleaf—calico she-cat with green eyes and a black tail, prefers to heal, not hurt, and wants to be a medicine cat**_**—in training to be a Capturer**_

**Snakeeyes—small gray she-cat with brown stripes, quiet, but resourceful**_**—in training to be a Capturer **_

**Cometfrost—a jet black tom, formerly a rogue named Comet, joined ShadowClan**_**—in training to be a Torturer**_

**Snowcloud—white she-cat with a black tail and a black paw**_**—in training to be a Torturer **_

**Jaggedwing—a dark gray tom with a white chest and a scar along his side**_**—in training to be a Capturer**_

**~*~**

**Tigerstar's POV**

I paced around on the Bonehill, looking down on the Guard. Blood sat beside me, sharpening his claws on the mass of tiny skeletons.

"Where is Bonfire?" I asked.

"Missing, Tigerstar," Mud called out from below.

"He has chosen to miss the meeting?"

"I think," Mud replied.

"Then he shall be punished," I decided swiftly. Continuing, I yowled, "Do you know why I have called you here?"

Exile was the only one brave enough to speak up. "Is it about the prisoners?"

"Yes, Exile. It is about the prisoners. Thank you for stating the obvious."

Exile hissed as the others laughed at his humiliation.

Exile was the cat in charge of planning out captures of prisoners, and he handled the capture of new recruits as well. Capturing new recruits was important, as it enlarged the Guard and provided more loyal cats to back it up. It was also difficult…in a way.

Select members of the Guard would travel to the other Clans, BloodClan, and stalk loners and rogues. They would capture cats who seemed to have potential, cats who could cause pain and not feel guilt. Some of these cats would join us immediately…although one, a captive from WindClan, refused. We couldn't have him running off and telling every cat about us, so we silenced him forever. Amberleaf was at first reluctant, though we convinced her to join after 'promising' she could become a medicine cat.

I silenced every cat with a flick of my tail. "First thing for this meeting, I will hear the reports. Exile, if you are over your slight discomfort, we will listen to you first."

Exile hissed again and beckoned Lighting, Violet, and Scar up with him.

"Though Bonfire is absent right now, the Capturers shall give our report. The capturing of new recruits is going quite well. We have recently added Amberleaf to our ranks."

I glanced in triumph at Amberleaf, who narrowed her eyes. I thought I heard her mutter, "I didn't have a choice."

Exile continued. "Scar successfully captured Snowcloud single-pawed, feat which we praise him for."

Scar silently endured the meows of respect and awe.

Scar was an unusually silent cat. I had asked him to join the Guard quite some time ago, after seeing his potential. He refused my offer, and I then told him to either join or die. I had my cats attack him, all of who Scar defeated, and he's been here ever since. Sometimes I wonder what lurks behind his eyes, what thoughts cloud his mind, and I fear him.

"Furthermore," Exile continued, "I have planned another outing into BloodClan. It seems that there are many cats there who would be perfect for the Guard."

"Kits, actually," Violet interrupted. "Tigerstar, I ask to pitch an idea."

I nodded.

"Why don't we capture kits? We could raise them ourselves to be Guard members, and they would have complete loyalty towards us."

I thought for a minute. "An excellent idea, Violet! Exile, add kits to your list of possible recruits."

Exile nodded. "Our other new recruits, Cometfrost, Snakeeyes, and Jaggedwing, are also adjusting well to the Guard. The training of all five new recruits is going wonderfully."

"Is that all?" I inquired.

"Yes."

"Thank you, Exile. At moonhigh I expect you to bring your Capturers and Capturer Trainees to my den so that we may discuss your next outing."

"Of course, Tigerstar." Exile bowed his head and stepped down.

"Now will the Torturers give their report."

Destiny, Fang, and Mud stepped up. "We are doing well in the torture of the prisoners, Tigerstar. It is most fun to hold back Graystripe and torture Featherpaw and Stormpaw. It is the torture of three at the same time!" Her eyes glinted at the thought of pain.

"Excellent strategy. And?"

"Sandstorm is still mostly being left alone, as you requested. But it was so fun torturing her before, couldn't you just—"

"No."

"Or maybe just—"

"No, Destiny!"

"Not even a little?"

"I said _no_, Destiny! Sandstorm is not to be touched!"

"But why?" Snakeeyes asked from the back of the group.

A couple of gasps echoed around as Snakeeyes seemed to realize what she had done. "I—I'm sorry, Tigerstar. I didn't mean—"

"Idiot!" Cometfrost whispered to Snakeeyes. "What did you do that for? You know not to challenge him!"

Destiny's eyes glinted with anticipation as she unsheathed her claws. "I will punish her if you like, Tigerstar."

I watched to see what Snakeeyes would do. To her credit, she bowed her head and murmured, "I am sorry. I accept my punishment."

"Oh, Destiny, sheathe your claws. The poor cat was just asking—rudely—why. Why I leave Sandstorm alone." I swung my head around to look at Snakeeyes. "Do you truly want to know?"

It was perfect. Snakeeyes did not know what answer to give, for fear of angering me.

"I—um…not unless you wish to tell me, T—Tigerstar," Snakeeyes stammered.

"But you asked about it," I meowed in mock concern. "Were you—" I said the last word in a harsh tone "—_lying_?" I glowed in the fear-scent coming from the small gray she-cat.

"N—no, Tigerstar…I merely wanted to know why…I…I am sorry for my rudeness."

"You are forgiven. Just never, _never_ challenge me again." I scored my claws over the bones below me to make sure Snakeeyes got the point.

"Of course, Tigerstar." Snakeeyes quickly dipped her head and retreated to the comforting side of her friend Jaggedwing.

I smirked at the five new recruits, who were staring at me fearfully. That was just what I wanted; for my cats to fear me.

Cometfrost suddenly tore his gaze away from me and turned it to the bushes a few fox lengths away.

Bonfire stumbled out of them, a kit in his jaws. It was a tom, I noticed, and seemed to be about four or five moons old. It was also mewing angrily.

"Put me down! I hate you! You're a foxdungidiotbrain! LET ME GO! Firestar is going to come and kill you! Die! Die! PUT ME DOWN!"

"Shut up, kit," Bonfire mumbled through the gray fur of the tom-kit.

"Bonfire," I meowed, trying to keep the anger out of my voice. "Tell me why. Why have you missed almost the whole meeting, your group report, and now, you show up with a ThunderClan kit in your mouth?"

"He—he is a new recruit, Tigerstar," Bonfire meowed after setting the kit down, while restraining it with his paw.

"But why have you ignored my commands and gone, alone, to find a kit to join the Guard? A kit."

"I—I—" Bonfire seemed to be rethinking his impulsive decision to capture the kit.

"I'm Rainkit!" the kit hissed. "Not Akit or Athunderclankit. I'M RAINKIT! And I'm _not _joining a stupid Guard! I want to go home to Willowpelt and Sorrelkit and Sootkit! I DON'T LIKE IT HERE!"

I watched Rainkit in amusement. "Amberleaf," I ordered. "Take the kit to one of the abandoned fox dens, take him something to eat, make sure he can't escape, then come back here."

Amberleaf sighed. "Come on, kit," she muttered. Picking Rainkit up in her mouth, she retreated from the meeting.

"MY NAME IS RAINKIT!" Rainkit screeched.

As soon as they were out of sight, I turned to Bonfire. "Explain your reason for doing this."

Destiny watched maliciously. "Can I punish him for you, Tigerstar?" she asked while sheathing and unsheathing her long claws.

"Wait, Destiny," I snapped. "Bonfire, as punishment for missing the meeting and disobeying my orders, you must…" I smirked. "You must take care of the kit until we get some cat better suited for the job. Chew his food for him, lick him as his mother would do, and tend to his poor helpless kit needs."

Destiny brightened. Bonfire's humiliation was good enough punishment for her.

Bonfire groaned. "Of course I will take care of the kit, Tigerstar."

"We welcome a new queen into TigerClan, then," I announced mockingly.

The Guard laughed.

"The meeting is dismissed," I yowled. "Capturers, come see me. Torturers, go torture the prisoners. And _no_, Destiny, I do not mean Sandstorm."

Exile led the way over to my second den underneath the Bonehill, with Scar, Violet, Bonfire—whose tail was drooping in the dust—and Lighting. Blood and Maul were out helping with the training of the new recruits.

"So, Exile," I asked. "What is your plan for the capturing of kits?"

"Actually, Tigerstar," Violet meowed. "It is my plan." She began to explain. "Young kits know little. Their minds are almost blank, ready to be filled with whatever they are told."

"Yes?"

"And so if we take them while their minds are still quite blank, then _we _can fill them with what _we _tell them. They will be completely loyal to us and be perfect Guard members."

"I see…I will think this over, Violet."

Violet dipped her head. "I am only seeking to make the Guard stronger."

"And strong it shall be," Scar muttered.

"So strong someday that we shall rule all the Clans, and BloodClan too, and finally fulfill my kithood dream!" I declared. "Away with you all, now."

"But what about our WindClan recruiting trip?" Exile asked in confusion.

"Ah, yes." I thought for a minute. "We will postpone it and instead work on stealing kits, as Violet suggested. Now go!"

The five Capturers hurried out of the den, and I waited for a bit before padding out myself, to the special den where Sandstorm was kept.

As I headed along the sandy trail, one of the Guard's new recruits—Jaggedwing—burst out of the trees. He had a swollen eye and a torn ear, as well as blood dripping from a shoulder.

"Jaggedwing!" I snapped. "What is it!"

"Mutiny, Tigerstar!" he gasped. "Some of the other warriors—attacked the Guard—we're fighting back—some of them we killed—help!"

"Mutiny in _my _Clan? I don't think so!" I raced away from Sandstorm's den and toward the TigerClan camp, where I could hear screeches of fighting cats.

As I got closer, I saw about seven warriors—two from ShadowClan, the rest from RiverClan—fighting my Guard. Hawkshadow and Skywing, two of the best RiverClan cats I had ever seen, were among the mutineers.

I hissed and leapt into the fight. I dragged Hawkshadow off of Exile and held him down. "What are you doing, traitor?!" I dug my claws into the skin on his neck.

"—Time—for—change—" he spluttered. "—Your—leadership—must—_end_!"

With those words the other mutineers sprang on me and dug teeth into my throat.

I hissed and threw them off. Within a second, I had one on the ground.

"Wait, Tigerstar!" Hawkshadow hissed—he had escaped from my grasp after I was attacked. He had Lighting on the ground, a paw at his neck. "You hurt Wetnose and I'll kill your Guard member, I will! And that's a promise!"

Lighting looked at me with pleading eyes. "Haap—" he choked out.

"Will you surrender, Tigerstar?" Skywing—who had come up from behind me—hissed.

I laughed. "Kill him, Hawkshadow. Do you think I care? My cats are recyclable. They die, I replace them. Kill him; see if I care." I tightened my grip on Wetnose. "I wonder what happens when I bite this vein right here—" I dug my teeth into the all-important vein on the back of Wetnose's neck.

I quickly snapped it. And then I snapped another cat's.

The last three living mutineers quickly glanced at each other.

"Retreat!" the one called Rushtail yowled out. He, Skywing, and Hawkshadow took off, leaving Lighting gasping for breath on the ground.

"Follow them!" I snarled at Blood. He nodded and raced off after the three with Scar, Exile, and Maul behind him.

Before long, I heard a cut-off scream from the trees, and the four Guard members came padding back to me.

"We got one; the one named Rushtail," Blood reported, "and we dumped his body in the river, but the other two, Hawkshadow and Skywing, they got away."

"Well, they won't be showing their faces around here anymore," I growled. "Good work, Blood."

Blood dipped his head and padded away.

I, meanwhile, headed for Sandstorm.

_***~!~***_

**Okay, so, how was it?**

**I really like some certain characters. And don't worry, we haven't seen the last of Hawkshadow and Skywing. :)**

**Now that I have an ending in mind, and I've started writing it again, I've once more become interested in this story. Expect more and quicker updates!**

**I'm thinking about buying the rights to these characters that were sent in and writing them their own personal Fanfic. Should I?**

**And should I go into detail about the kit-stealing spree? (I kind of stole that idea from Amberleaf's story, "Unfair Labor". Hey, read it! It's really good!)**

**Sorry for sort-of-stealing your idea, Amberleaf!**

**Oh, guess what! It's the review button's birthday! And you know what kind of present it wants? A REVIEW!!!**

**If you give it a review, it'll give you a Blood and Maul plushie! **

**Ciao~**

**~LenzieKat**


	9. The Plan

**Hola! Como esta usted? (I'm trying to learn some Spanish before I start Spanish I in school, so I keep practicing)**

**Again, I wrote almost a whole chapter and then realized I left out a huge important part.**

**I decided not to write about the kit-stealing spree. I think I might make another spin-off fic from this one, one that focuses entirely on the Guard and is told from the Guard members' points of views; one that has short Guard-related stories, that sort of thing. I might call it "Tales of the Guard" or something…**

_***~!~***_

**Sandstorm's POV**

I paced the length of the thorn den, Sasha watching me exasperatedly. The moonlight bathed her pelt in silver, making her look like a gray tabby instead of a brown one.

"What are you doing, Sandstorm?" she sighed. "You're going to wear down the only grass in here." She peered at the ground. "In fact, I think you already have."

"Very funny," I mewed. "I'm thinking—" I quickly lowered my voice so Violet and Scar, who were standing guard outside, wouldn't hear. "—I'm thinking of an escape plan."

Sasha's eyes widened. "Really? You honestly think that you can think of an actual—" she lowered her voice here too "—escape plan?"

I shrugged. "I've already thought it out. Now I'm just going over some certain things that might not work. But now I'm almost positive it will."

A gleam of excitement shone in Sasha's eyes for a minute; then it died. "How is it going to work?" She was whispering so quietly I had to strain to hear her. "We're surrounded by guards night and day, sunhigh and moonhigh. And even if we did manage to get past the Guard, we'd end back up in ShadowClan territory. They'd capture us again and probably kill us!"

"We won't be the ones who have to make it past the Guard," I meowed, and as I said it, my heart clenched and I thought of the danger. "We'd be too easily missed."

Sasha sighed. "Well, what is your plan?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but quickly closed it when I heard Violet hiss irritably, "Shut up, you dumb prisoners! It's my turn to sleep and if you don't stop rambling on, I'm going to rip off your ears, and I mean that!"

"Of course, Violet," I hissed back. "Anything to please you."

She snapped in reply and I heard her mutter something to Scar.

"Well?" Sasha asked again. "Your plan?"

I settled down on the ground. "All of Tigerstar's other prisoners—Graystripe, Stormpaw, Featherpaw, and the others—they're in an abandoned fox den."

"Your point?"

"Well, usually fox dens have one main entrance tunnel, and one extra tunnel for escape or if the main tunnel gets caved in or something." I paused, waiting for Sasha's response.

She shrugged. "I think I get what you're saying, but then I don't."

"Well," I whispered excitedly, "

"Tigerstar said we could go see them later today. We can look then."

"But they're guarded by nearly five guards. And anyway, the escape tunnel will probably be half-caved in or something. No cat will be small enough to fit through it." Sasha looked dubious of my plan so far.

"We have paws, and paws can dig," I retorted. "The escape tunnel—if there is one—can be made bigger."

Sasha's eyes widened. "It couldn't be made much bigger! And even is you make it a mouse-length bigger, do you really expect one of those big toms to escape out of it?"

Her comment distracted me for a minute. "Huh? Toms? What do you mean by that?"

My denmate snorted. "Well, aren't you going to send Graystripe or Stonefur off to get help? They're more likely to make it out alive, plus they're better able to take care of themselves."

"No, actually. They're the complete opposite of who I have in mind."

"Well, who do you have in mind?"

I hesitated before answering. "Featherpaw."

"Featherpaw!" Sasha's voice got so loud—above a whisper, but still loud—I was afraid the Guard would swoop in and kill us right away.

"Yes, Featherpaw."

"Why? She's just a kit!"

"Apprentice."

"For what? A moon? Why would you choose her for such a dangerous mission?"

"Well, she's small, so she'll be able to squeeze through any hole or crack we might find, and she'll be hard to notice. A big cat like Stonefur would find it hard to hide. Featherpaw also has a coat that will allow her to blend in with her surroundings. If she hides in some moonlight—she'll escape at night—no one will see her, if they don't look too close. She's also quick, agile…I'd send Stormpaw instead, but he's bigger and more noticeable."

Sasha glared at me. "Do you know how dangerous this whole thing is? Featherpaw could be killed!"

"I know. And Featherpaw doesn't have to do it if she doesn't want to. I won't make her. But just think. Featherpaw escapes through a hole or crack, she gets back into ThunderClan territory, she gets Firestar's help, and we all get rescued."

"Graystripe won't let her." Sasha seemed to think that settled the matter.

"Look. Do you want to escape or not?"

Sasha narrowed her eyes. "Well, yes…but I won't put a kit's—alright, _apprentice's _life at risk."

"You might have to if you want to keep eleven other cats' lives out of risk. Twelve, if you count Cinderpelt, although she seems to be just fine with Runningnose and Littlecloud." I shifted my paws as I mentioned her.

"You don't seem to like Cinderpelt very much," Sasha observed.

"She spends too much time around Firestar. I can tell she likes him, more than a medicine cat should. _My _Firestar." I gritted my teeth. "She also reminds me too much of Spottedleaf."

"Who's Spottedleaf?" Sasha inquired.

"ThunderClan's old medicine cat that died when he was an apprentice," I meowed grudgingly. "She and Firestar loved each other. They still love each other. If she had lived, Firestar would never have chosen me as his mate." A growl rose in my throat. "There are too many other she-cats after Firestar, my Firestar!"

"Sandstorm!" Sasha hissed through gritted teeth. "Quiet! The guards will hear you!"

"So! I don't care! I want them to know that Firestar is no one's mate but mine!" A terrible thought struck me. "What if he's gotten with another she-cat since I've been captured? Like Brightheart or Mousefur? What if he's gotten with a _tom_?" I shrieked on the last word.

I heard Scar snicker.

"Sandstorm! Calm down!" Sasha shook her head and rolled her eyes. "What is wrong with you? If Firestar truly loves you, he'll wait for you. If he does get with another she-cat…or a tom…then he's not worth all this worry."

I could detect a gleam of amusement in her eyes, which annoyed me. "What's so funny?" I spat.

"Sandstorm," she laughed, "you should see yourself. Your eyes are big and your fur is sticking up all over."

Embarrassed when I saw she was right, I forced my fur to lie flat. "Well," I mewed awkwardly. "We better get some sleep so we won't be tired when we get to see everyone else tomorrow." I settled back on the grass and closed my eyes.

_Dream…dream…dream…_

The moon was shining, bright and full. I was stretched out on a smooth boulder, enjoying the breeze that ruffled my fur.

Suddenly the moon was blotted out by a huge dark tabby, who leered at me, amber eyes flashing with fury. "Naptime's over, Sandstorm."

Tigerstar leaped at me, claws unsheathed. I darted out of his way and crashed into Featherpaw.

"Featherpaw!" I gasped. "Come on! Escape! Save us!"

"I can't!" she wailed. "I'm scared!"

"Hurry!" I urged her.

Featherpaw screamed as Tigerstar leaped over my head and pounced on her. Her eyes glazed over as he slit her throat.

"Featherpaw!"I yowled.

Then Tigerstar turned back to me and everything went black.

*

_I searched the earthen wall of the den I was imprisoned in. I smiled as I found what I was looking for—a rabbit-sized hole._

_I willed myself to be smaller and squeezed into it._

_I kept wriggling through the small space until I felt air on my face. "Thank StarClan I made it out—" I stopped as I saw amber eyes glinting with menace._

"_Good-bye, Sandstorm," Tigerstar snarled. His paw flew through the air and made contact with the side of my face, and darkness overcame me._

_*_

_I chased the butterfly around Fourtrees, the moon bathing me with its light. _

"_Sandstorm!"_

_I heard a familiar voice and spun around. "Spottedleaf?" _

_The former ThunderClan medicine cat gazed at me with sad eyes. "All of StarClan is sorry for what is happening. We truly are."_

"_Why can't you save us? Or tell Firestar and get us some help? Do you not care about us?"_

"_We can't tell him." Spottedleaf looked frustrated. "We can't tell anyone. We keep trying, but every time we appear to Firestar, or Tallstar, or any cat, we get cut off from them and we're whisked away from the dream. Bluestar and I don't know what to do. I'm amazed I've been able to talk to you this long. I keep waiting for something to cut me off from you."_

"_So, what, then?" I asked disbelievingly. " StarClan is powerless?" _

"_I'm afraid so."_

_I couldn't believe it. "So, if Featherpaw fails to get help…we're never…going to get rescued?"_

"_Don't say that! There is still hope." Spottedleaf sighed. "We can see bits of what will happen, but only bits." _

"_Can you see if Firestar will come to his senses and realize Tigerstar is behind all this, since you seem to see everything about him?"_

"_Sandstorm, Firestar loves you now. Even if I had lived, we would have realized that I am a medicine cat, and he a warrior. It would not have worked out." _

"_If I know Firestar, he would have made it work," I meowed resentfully. "I'm always going to be second-best in his life."_

"_Oh, Sandstorm, you will never be second-best in Firestar's life. He loves you, and always will."_

_That was a small comfort. "Thanks, Spottedleaf."_

_She smiled. "Now, that escape plan of yours. I noticed one small catch in it—"_

"_Wait," I interrupted. "How did you know about the plan?"_

"_StarClan gazing powers, Sandstorm," she answered. "Anyway, the part about—"_

"_What? The part about what?"_

_Spottedleaf meowed something again, but I didn't hear it._

"_Spottedleaf? Speak louder, I can't hear you. Spottedleaf? Spottedleaf!"_

_Spottedleaf was rapidly fading; her pelt growing transparent; a frightened look on her face. _

_She was gone._

"_Oh, come on!" I yowled. "StarClan, help us! You have more power than this! Save us! Come on!"_

*

I jerked awake, sunlight telling me it was a new day. "Oh StarClan," I whispered, remembering my dream in which Spottedleaf had disappeared so strangely.

"Hmm?" Sasha mumbled beside me.

"Sasha, wake up." I prodded her with my paw.

"Mmm? Sandstorm?" Sasha sleepily opened her eyes. "What'sa matter?"

"Sasha, _wake up_!"

"Eek!" Sasha jumped and glared at me. "Sandstorm, don't _do _that! You nearly scared me out of my fur!"

"Sorry," I apologized. "But, last night, I had a dream. And Spot—" I shut my mouth as Violet, and Scar prowled into the den.

"Now, if you pieces of fox-dung are smart," Scar drawled, "you'll let us take you two to your miserable friends."

"_Without _the side effects of struggling, hissing, or trying to escape," Violet added with a smirk.

I bit back a sharp retort. I wanted to check out the other den, after all, and causing trouble would get me nothing but torturing.

"Oh, don't worry, Violet," Sasha meowed sarcastically. "The last thing I want to do is any of those things."

That earned her a scratch on the nose.

**Featherpaw's POV**

A cold breeze blew in the den, making me shiver. I snuggled closer to Princess.

"Cold, little one?" she asked.

"Yes," I mewed.

Stormpaw looked at me. "If your fur wasn't so short, and it was long and thick like mine, then you wouldn't have that problem."

"And if my fur was long and thick like yours, then it'd take me a moon just to get dry after fishing," I retorted.

"Well," Stormpaw thought, "at least I know the difference between a mouse and a rabbit!"

"Why would you need to know the difference if you can't even catch one?" Out of the corner of my eye I saw Graystripe and Ravenpaw exchange amused glances.

"I can too catch one!"

"You couldn't catch greencough!" I purred.

"Yes, I could!" Stormpaw had a triumphant grin on his face until he seemed to realize what he said. "Wait—no, no, I couldn't!"

"Yes, you could!" I rolled around on the ground laughing. "Fish-brain!"

"I'll show you a fish-brain!" Stormpaw leaped on me and pinned me down. "Now who's the fish-brain?"

Princess gave a soft mew of protest, but Stonefur flicked her with his tail. "Let them play. They hardly get to do that anymore."

"But what if one of them gets hurt?" Princess fretted.

"Come on, Princess." Longtail got up from his nap and stretched. "They won't—" he yawned "—get hurt."

"I said," Stormpaw repeated, "who's the fish-brain now?"

"Still you! Now let me go!" I mewed.

"Never!" Stormpaw purred with amusement. "_Who's a fish-brain_?"

"You! Wait—okay, okay!"

Stormpaw grinned, clearly thinking he had won.

"Okay!" I meowed again. "Uh…Cloudtail's a fish-brain!"

Cloudtail, who was dozing on his back, jumped up and looked around wildly. "Wha? Huh?"

"Nothing, Cloudtail," Mistyfoot meowed. "Go back to sleep."

Stormpaw was confused for a moment. I took advantage of that moment and darted out from under him, hiding behind Graystripe. ""Ha ha!" I taunted my brother. "Can't get me!"

"Yes I can!" Stormpaw lunged at me and batted my ear.

"Stop, you two!" Onewhisker hissed. "Guards coming!" He pushed me and Stormpaw behind Stonefur and Longtail.

"Why did you push my kits?" Graystripe hissed.

"If Destiny or one of those other crowfood eaters sees them, they'll torture them again. Do you really want that?" Onewhisker made sure Stormpaw and I were concealed behind the two warriors.

I bristled as I remembered what Destiny and those other mean cats always did. They would come in and torture me and Stormpaw and hold back Graystripe and the others. They would make me pass out, then I would wake up and Mudfur would be taking care of me. Except for when Mudfur healed me, it was scary.

I crouched down as I heard Violet (at least, I think that was her name) yowled from outside, "Stand back! We're coming in!"

She didn't need to tell me twice! I crouched down even lower and closed my eyes.

I heard a _thump! _and a cat yowl, "Watch where you're throwing me!"

That voice sounded like…

"Sandstorm!" I opened my eyes and saw Sandstorm and another cat—Sasha, I think her name was—lying on the ground with Violet and Scar standing guard at the entrance to the den.

Sandstorm looked at me with an almost apologetic look. "Hi, Featherpaw."

"Sandstorm!" Graystripe gave the light ginger she-cat a lick on the ear. "Are you okay? What's Tigerstar done?"

Cloudtail hissed. "I _hate _Tigerstar! I want to feel his blood on my claws!"

"Shut it, you!" Scar snarled from outside.

Cloudtail rolled his eyes.

Sandstorm glanced at the guards barely three fox-lengths away. "Fox dung!" she muttered. "They're too close."

Sasha whispered something in Sandstorm's ear. "Brilliant!" she meowed. "Thanks, Sasha." To me, she added, "Featherpaw, would you like to hear a story about the ancient Clans—TigerClan, LionClan, and LeopardClan?"

"Ooh! Yes!" I mewed excitedly.

"Okay." Sandstorm settled on the ground and tucked her paws beneath her. "Everyone else can listen to. In fact, you _should _listen."

"Once, a long time ago," she began, "there was a leader of TigerClan, um…Clawstar…He wanted to draw all three of the Clans together, and when some cats spoke against him, they were captured. One of them was named Featherpaw, of LeopardClan."

"Like me!" I mewed.

"Yes. Anyway, Clawstar imprisoned Featherpaw, her mentor, her brother, and some other cats in an abandoned fox den…and tortured them daily." Sandstorm gave me a meaningful look.

This story sure had a lot of similarities to what was going on now…wait! Maybe Sandstorm was trying to tell me something in code, so the guards wouldn't understand. Maybe TigerClan was like the TigerClan now, and Clawstar was for Tigerstar, who used to be Tiger_claw_. I listened closer.

"Featherpaw soon grew weak, as she was the smallest of the prisoners. But, one day, um…Clawstar's…other prisoner came to her." While she was saying that, Sandstorm pointed at herself with her tail. "Clawstar's prisoner, who was named…Ginger—er—tail, told Featherpaw that all fox dens have an extra tunnel in case the foxes ever needed to escape. Featherpaw found the escape tunnel, which was partially caved in, and she made it bigger by digging. But she couldn't make it much bigger, and it was only big enough for Featherpaw to fit through. So, on the full moon, Featherpaw crawled through the tunnel and escaped to LionClan, where its leader, Flamestar—"

I wondered if that was code for Firestar.

"—came back and rescued all the other prisoners. So now, every full moon, uh, StarClan honors Featherpaw for her bravery and intelligence. The end." Sandstorm gave me a Look. "That story has good morals, you know. It teaches us courage, and that stuff. So, Featherpaw," she meowed. "_Do you understand the story's morals_?"

I though it over in my head and nodded. "Yes, Sandstorm. I understand _all _of it." I gave her one of those meaningful looks. "All of it."

"Good." Sandstorm sighed. "I feel sorry—_so _sorry—for Featherpaw in the story. I wish she hadn't had to go and get help all by herself, but she was the only one small enough to fit through the tunnel and not be seen."

"Yeah," I meowed, "but she had to do what she had to do, didn't she? I would do that for my friends in a heartbeat."

Sandstorm smiled at me. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Graystripe gaped at her. I winced as I wondered if my father had interpreted Sandstorm's plan.

"What?" he yowled. "Why her?"

Yeah, he understood it.

Ravenpaw shook his head. "Sandstorm, I don't…why her?"

Stormpaw leaned over to me and whispered in my ear. "What are they talking about? It was just a story."

Sometimes Stormpaw can be so dense! "Oh, never mind, Stormpaw." I rolled my eyes. "Just a story."

Sandstorm padded over to me. "You _do _understand what I'm asking you to do, don't you, Featherpaw?" she whispered.

I nodded. "Yes, Sandstorm."

"Now," Sandstorm continued, "Sasha found the tunnel, and it's partially caved in. It's over there." Sandstorm pointed with her tail to Sasha over by a small avalanche of dirt. I could see a jagged hole in the earthen wall. "So now you dig. Dig until it's big enough for you to—"

She broke off as Scar came in and scored his claws down her face. "Time to go, fox dung."

"'Bye, Sandstorm," I mewed quietly.

They were gone.

"You're not going," Graystripe meowed. "No, no, StarClan _no_!"

"He's right," Princess added. "You can't go! It's too dangerous."

"Absolutely not," Mistyfoot agreed.

"Can I?" Stormpaw asked. "I wanna go!"

"No!" Stonefur barged in. "I'm not letting my apprentice be entrusted with such a dangerous mission!"

"Why? Don't you trust me!" Stormpaw mewed indignantly.

"Quiet!" I threw myself in the middle of the squabbling cats. "The guards will hear you!" I hissed through clenched teeth.

They quieted.

"You're still not going," Graystripe put in. "And that's that."

_***~!~***_

**So, should Graystripe let Featherpaw carry out the plan? (Even if he says no, Featherpaw still wants to go)**

**There's going to be another chapter up in two days, probably. **

**Please review! And tell me what you think of the "Tales of the Guard" mid story thing.**

**Hasta luego! **

**~LenzieKat~ **


	10. How Could It Have Gone This Way?

**I am SO sorry! My computer commited suicide on me! I couldn't get on fanfiction or update until I got a new one. And I'm holding the new one right now, typing this. I wanted to tell you guts what happened, but the only other computer around was my dad's, and I can't use his to write on.**

**This chapter one of the most important ones! But to right it write…um…write it right, I had to switch POV's and that sort of thing. **

**If any of you have read the Harry Potter books or seen the movies (neither of which I own) try to picture Destiny as a feline Bellatrix Lestrange. I do for some reason. You know, insanely shrill laughter, love of torture, worship of Voldemort/Tigerstar.**

**Enjoy el chappie! Everyone who reviews gets a…a Sasha plushie! And take a box of Tigerstar voodoo dolls! Share them with your friends and family! Give them to your Rottweiler! Burn it in the fireplace! Cover it with pins! There are all sorts of things YOU can do with your one-of-all-kinds Tigerstar voodoo dolls!**

_**!~*~!**_

**Sandstorm's POV **

I was woken up by a jolt that seemed to be coming from my stomach. "Ow!" I gasped.

Sasha lifted her head up and looked at me. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," I groaned.

Sasha started laughing. "Wow, Sandstorm, you need to start laying off the mice. You should see yourself—you look like you swallowed a fox!"

"W—what?" I turned my head to look at my belly. It did seem bigger… "I—I don't really see anything. Maybe I'm just…gaining weight."

"Gaining weight?" Sasha looked skeptical. "We're barely being fed. How could you be gaining weight?"

"I don't know." I sighed.

Sasha glanced up at the bit of the moon we could see through the thorns of the den. "It's been a moon since that heap of foxdung captured me. You?"

"Almost a moon and a half," I answered. "Wow. I haven't seen Firestar in nearly two moons." I buried my head in my paws.

"Who's Firestar?"

"ThunderClan's leader…and my mate. He must be really worried about me. I miss him so much." I sighed again. "Tigerstar captured me to try and make Firestar to give him control of ThunderClan. But I guess I have to accept that I might never see him again. I am a prisoner of Tigerstar, and the only bit of hope I have lies in the paws of a barely trained apprentice."

Sasha seemed to be thinking. "You have a mate?"

"Yeah."

"Sandstorm, maybe you aren't gaining weight. Maybe…"

It took me a minute to figure out what Sasha was suggesting. "No, no. Firestar and I haven't done anything…but Tigerstar…" I broke off, fear creeping up my paws and flowing through my body.

Sasha was silent for a moment. Then she spoke.

"Sandstorm, I'm no medicine cat, but I think I can safely say that you're pregnant."

"WHAT?"

**(A/N: I wanted to end the chapter here, but obviously it was too short)**

**Meanwhile, back at the Bonehill…**

Tigerstar had just finished talking to Blood and Maul about Graystripe and the other prisoners. It was time for Sandstorm to be brought out.

"Exile," he meowed.

Exile nodded. "Yes, Tigerstar?"

"I need you to take Mud, Scar, and Violet with you to go get Sandstorm and Sasha. Bring them here, then go get the new recruits. Off with you!"

Mud had already come over. "Tigerstar," she meowed. "Could I perhaps go and help Fang torture the other prisoners?"

"No, Mud. That boulder needs four cats to move it!" Tigerstar hissed.

Mud flattened her ears and padded after Exile as Scar and Violet followed behind.

*

Violet ran ahead and slashed the thorns covering the boulder. They fell off and Violet pushed with all her might against the huge rock.

Scar rolled his eyes and he, Exile, and Mud helped Violet move it.

"Wait!" Mud pressed her ear against the half-moved boulder. "I hear talking!"

Suddenly—"WHAT?"—sounded from inside the den.

"What—the—StarClan?" Mud rushed into the den—with Violet, Scar, and Exile behind her—and saw Sandstorm collapsed on the ground, eyes wide, staring at nothing, her tail over her belly—which, the four Guard members noticed, was strangely swollen.

Scar jumped on Sandstorm and pinned her down—Violet doing the same with Sasha.

"Tigerstar wants you two," Exile hissed.

"It can't be," Sandstorm whispered. "How could it happen?"

*

Sandstorm said nothing the whole way to the Bonehill. Exile noted that she didn't even protest as Scar dug his claws into her back to get her moving.

"Violet, if you bite me on my neck one more time—" Sasha hissed.

"Why should I listen to a piece of foxdung like you?" Violet bit Sasha on the neck again, harder.

The huge hill of bones came into view, and Mud smirked and glanced at the two prisoners as she saw the massive dark tabby on top of them.

**Tigerstar's POV**

Blackfoot was giving me a report on a new litter of kits that had been born in ShadowClan. I had appointed him in charge of that Clan while I took care of…other things.

"Wait!" I interrupted him as I saw my Guard coming with Sandstorm and Sasha. "You need to go now, Blackfoot."

Blackfoot seemed confused. "But I haven't finished my report—"

"Blackfoot, this is a meeting of the Guard only. Go."

"Why can't I be a member of this Guard, Tigerstar? You let me, Russetfur, Jaggedtooth, and Darkstripe do everything _they _do now! But now you don't let us do anything at all!"

"You must stay and defend TigerClan. I must take care of my prisoners. When all four Clans are under my control, then the Guard will join the Clans and I will resume my place as the rightful leader of the forest, with you as my loyal deputy."

Blackfoot sighed. "Of course, Tigerstar." With that he bounded down the Bonehill, casting a reproachful glance at Blood and Maul, who had joined me with smug grins.

"As always, Tigerstar, jealously is one of the worst weaknesses a cat can have," Blood snidely commented. He and Maul exchanged a laugh.

"Tigerstar!" Scar came up to me and dumped Sandstorm on the ground, and Violet dumped Sasha.

Fang, Bonfire—he'd left Rainkit with a queen—and Lighting joined Mud, Violet, Exile, and Scar to make a circle around the two prisoners.

I looked at Sandstorm. She was staring at the ground with a confused expression on her face. I then glanced at Sasha, who was sitting by Sandstorm and glaring at me.

Wait…

"Where's Destiny? I sent her to pick up the newbies a while ago. She should have been back by now."

"Here I am, Tigerstar!" Destiny came prowling through the bushes, the trainees trailing behind her. I noticed that Amberleaf seemed to have a defeated air about her.

I heard Blood hiss behind me. "Oh, hel_lo_, Amberleaf!" Quietly he coughed, "_Traitor_."

Destiny had a delighted grin on her face, and her long claws were digging in the ground.

"All right, Destiny," I meowed. "What is it?"

**Once upon a time, a Guard member named Destiny came to get some trainees, and heard one of them talking about bad things…AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED**

Amberleaf paced nervously around the den. "This mutiny is terrible," she muttered. "Absolutely terrible."

Cometfrost yawned lazily. "Oh, come on, Amberleaf," he drawled. "Just because some dumb RiverClan and ShadowClan cats mutinied, it doesn't mean Tigerstar is going to check up on us all and look at our backgrounds and heavily question us about our loyalties, like you said before."

Jaggedwing abandoned his mouse he had been eating and came over to sit beside Cometfrost. "Yeah, Amberleaf. Don't get so paranoid."

Snowcloud nodded. "Being captured and made part of Tigerstar's guard is the best thing that has ever happened to us!"

"But you were a hated cat in WindClan, weren't you?" Snakeeyes put in. "You were almost ready to leave anyway."

"Well," Snowcloud retorted, "you were beaten senseless every day in BloodClan for voicing your opinions and finally trying to kill Bone. Thank StarClan the Guard stepped in and saved you from a horrible, _humiliating_ death." She hissed the last few words. "Anyway, Amberleaf, why are you so worried and why is this so 'terrible'?"

Amberleaf sighed. "Well…I'm kind of afraid, because…because…"

"Because what?" Jaggedwing asked.

"Because I think Tigerstar's ideas are wrong and this…this _torturing _of innocent cats, it's…it's against everything I believe in! I want to _heal _cats, not _hurt _them, and I want to be Mudfur's apprentice, but there's no way Tigerstar will let me. I want to be RiverClan's next medicine cat!"

Snowcloud's mouth hung open. "_You're having disloyal thoughts_?" she whispered in a shocked voice. "I can't believe that one of us would—"

"Excuse me?"

Amberleaf winced as she recognized the high, frightening, slightly maniacal voice.

"Destiny!" Snowcloud gasped. She dropped to the ground.

Destiny surveyed the five new recruits with cold, empty eyes. "I came by here, and I heard something rather odd…It seems you were talking about mutiny and…_disloyalty_…" Her voice was quiet, and she had begun circling Amberleaf and Snowcloud, while flicking them with her tail. This act was always a danger sign.

"Well..." Amberleaf began, "Tigerstar ordered us to…to…" She searched for an explanation. "Discuss…the mutiny…"

"Oh, the mutiny!" Destiny shocked them all by breaking into hysterical laughter. "Of _course _you were talking about the mutiny! Oh, and on Tigerstar's orders!" She unsheathed her claws. "You know what I think?" Her voice had become quiet again, every word dripping ice and venom. "I think you _traitors_…need to come with me to see Tigerstar…all five of you."

Amberleaf glanced at Jaggedwing. He blinked nervously back at her.

"Oh, and Amberleaf…" Destiny's paw flashed through the air and brought her claws down on Amberleaf's nose. A spurt of bright red followed, and Amberleaf's nose began dripping blood.

Destiny laughed. "I think Tigerstar will be overjoyed to hear of your…_rebellious thoughts_…"

Amberleaf's heart began pounding. She knew Tigerstar would never believe her word over Destiny's…and he would probably end up killing her, _and _maybe some others.

Destiny started for the den entrance, making sure Amberleaf was in front of her.

Jaggedwing watched helplessly as his friend was reduced to nearly a prisoner.

Amberleaf wondered if she dare make a run for it, and avoid being killed by Tigerstar.

As if she had read Amberleaf's mind, Destiny meowed in a simpering voice, "Oh, and Amberleaf? Don't even try to run away, because I will get you…" She flexed her claws.

Amberleaf hissed in frustrastion.

Behind her, Snowcloud and Cometfrost exchanged amused glances. "Tigerstar's going to sort her out!" Cometfrost whispered.

"That I look forward to," Snowcloud purred.

**(A/N: Snowcloud=Destiny-In-Training)**

*

They arrived at the Bonehill, where Amberleaf's ears flattened as she heard Tigerstar yowl, "Where is Destiny? I sent her to pick up the newbies a while ago. She should be back by now."

Destiny seemed almost delighted at the idea that one of her fellow Guard members might soon be ripped to shreds. "Here I am, Tigerstar!" she squealed as she emerged from the bushes.

The five cats noticed Sandstorm and Sasha on the ground in front of the Bonehill.

Amberleaf's ears flattened even more as Blood hissed, "Oh, hel_lo_ Amberleaf! _Traitor_!"

"All right, Destiny," Tigerstar meowed. "What is it?"

"Amberleaf, Tigerstar," Destiny meowed eagerly. "I overheard her voicing things, things you would not be pleased to hear. _Rebellious _things."

Tigerstar turned his scorching amber gaze on Amberleaf, who stared back at him, a hiss escaping her throat.

Snakeeyes and Jaggedwing gulped as Tigerstar unsheathed his claws.

"What should we do?" Snakeeyes whispered in Jaggedwing's ear. "Tigerstar'll rip her to shreds! We've got to do something!"

"Yeah, like what? Throw ourselves in front of her and beg for us to be punished instead of her?" Jaggedwing shook his head. "Just hope that she holds her ground and maybe Tigerstar will go easy on her."

"Since when have you known Tigerstar to go easy on anyone? He killed a dozen cats for his own selfish needs, the barbarian—" Snakeeyes gasped in horror as she realized what she had just said, and in front of Tigerstar too.

"Foxdung," she whispered.

Jaggedwing closed his eyes in regret. What would happen to his friends now?

"You see, Tigerstar!" Destiny snarled. "Underneath your nose, this cat—" she pushed Snakeeyes up with Amberleaf "—talks of mutiny and other disloyal things! They must be exterminated!"

Mud stalked up to sit by the raging black and white she-cat. "I agree with Destiny," she meowed coolly. "These traitors must be killed, and quickly, too, before they spread rebellion through the entire Guard."

Tigerstar seemed to think for a moment. "I will ponder this for a bit," he decided. "In the meantime, I called this meeting to deal with them." He flicked his tail in Sandstorm and Sasha's direction.

**Sandstorm's POV**

I was pregnant. I couldn't believe it. And up on the Bonehill was the possible father of my kits. Him, not Firestar.

I hated Tigerstar. I _hated _him. Hated, _hated_, HATED, _HATED_ him!

If Bluestar had just ordered Tigerstar's immediate execution when Firestar unveiled the dark warrior's treachery, none of this would have happened. None.

"Where is Destiny?" Tigerstar yowled. "I sent her to pick up the newbies a while ago. She should be back by now."

I watched as Destiny padded out from some bushes, newbies in tow. "Here I am, Tigerstar!" Her voice sounded gleeful.

Blood, the ragged ginger tom sitting by Tigerstar, meowed something I didn't quite catch.

"All right, Destiny," Tigerstar meowed. "What is it?"

"Wonder why Destiny sounds so happy," I muttered.

Sasha whispered in my ear. "Knowing her, it's probably a death."

"It's Amberleaf, Tigerstar," Destiny answered. "I overheard her voicing things, things you would not be pleased to hear. Rebellious things."

I saw a tortoiseshell she-cat who I knew to be Amberleaf hiss.

I turned to Sasha. "Look, the guards aren't watching us right now. We could—"

"What? Escape? Sandstorm, they'd catch us. We're half-starved and weak, much as I hate to admit it, and they'd rip us to shreds."

She was probably right. I turned my attention back to the Bonehill, nervous about what we had been brought here for.

"I called this meeting to deal with them," Tigerstar was saying. He flicked his tail in our direction.

"Are we finally going to get to torture them again?" Exile meowed eagerly.

A chill ran up my spine. It had been so long since I'd been tortured; surely it wouldn't start up again?

"No, Exile!" Tigerstar spat. "No cat touches Sandstorm!"

I hissed.

"_I _think Sandstorm should be tortured daily!" Snowcloud, one of the other newbies, declared.

I hissed again.

"_I _think you should be quiet!" Tigerstar snarled. "I'm leader of this Clan, you listen to me and follow my orders."

Sasha scoffed. "You call yourself a leader?" she mumbled under her breath.

"You never do anything to Sandstorm though!" Destiny burst out. "I want to torture her, to make her beg for mercy under my claws! Letting her live unscathed is a sign of—" She broke off.

I hated Destiny.

"A sign of _what_, Destiny?" Tigerstar growled.

"A—a sign of kittypet weakness, T—Tigerstar."

Tigerstar growled again, his fur bristling, when Violet called out, "She's right."

Heads turned.

"_What_?" Tigerstar hissed.

"I joined the Guard of my own free will," Violet began. "I loved the idea of torturing prisoners, because I love the feel of blood on my claws. But I didn't join to let a prisoner go without torturing!"

Other cats joined in the argument.

"Sandstorm needs torturing!"

"You can't let her just go without it!"

"Why do you let her be treated better than us sometimes?"

"STOP IT!" Tigerstar roared, the veins in his neck bulging. "It is none of your business how I choose to treat certain cats!"

"But it's weakness!"

"She must be tortured!"

"FINE!" Tigerstar was breathing heavily. "I've had it! Guard, kill Sandstorm!"

Sasha gasped, and I felt my blood run cold.

"What?" one of the Guard asked confusedly.

"You heard me! Kill her! I don't care about that filth! KILL HER!"

"Run!" Sasha yowled. She grabbed my scruff and pulled me to my feet.

Before we could even try to run, Destiny, Violet, and Snowcloud had come dangerously close, their eyes glinting menacingly and their claws unsheathed.

_We're going to die, we're going to die…_

**Amberleaf, Snakeeyes, and Jaggedwing's POV**

"You heard me! Kill her! I don't care about that filth! KILL HER!"

Amberleaf turned to her friends. "They're going to kill her! We have to do something!"

"And risk our own pelts? No way!" Jaggedwing hissed. "Besides, she's just a dumb prisoner."

"But she's still a cat," Snakeeyes murmured. "If she were prey, it would be different. But she's not." Looking Amberleaf in the eyes, she meowed, "All right. Let's save her."

Amberleaf gave the she-cat a smile; then together they raced over to where Sandstorm and Sasha were about to be ripped to shreds.

"Leave them alone!" Amberleaf leaped on Destiny's back and covered the Torturer's eyes with her paws. Blinded momentarily, Destiny tried to throw Amberleaf off.

Snakeeyes jumped in between the two threatened prisoners and Violet and Snowcloud. "Don't hurt them! Sandstorm, Sasha, run!"

The two prisoners hesitated; there were still more Guard cats coming toward them.

"Traitor!" Snowcloud hissed. "Get out of the way!"

Snakeeyes gulped. "Jaggedwing, help me!"

Jaggedwing heard his friend's call and winced. He wanted to help, he really did, but he didn't want to risk his own life.

But…

"Jaggedwing!" Snakeeyes called again.

Amberleaf couldn't help, she was fighting Destiny. Sighing, Jaggedwing bunched his muscles and leaped to Snakeeyes's aid.

"Thanks," she panted as they faced the threat together.

Amberleaf was finally thrown off Destiny and scrambled over to her two friends.

"Run!" she yowled at Sandstorm and Sasha, who were almost surrounded by Guard members. "We'll hold them off!"

Sasha gave Amberleaf a quick nod. Then she and Sandstorm had raced into the trees, Torturers and Capturers alike racing after them.

Snakeeyes, Jaggedwing, and Amberleaf followed and jumped in front of the pursuers, halting them for a minute.

"Get out of the way, traitorous scum!" Scar raised a paw and flung Snakeeyes out of the way.

But Sandstorm and Sasha had already disappeared into the trees.

"No!" Destiny hissed. "Where are they?"

"Gone," Maul grunted. "But at least we have these three traitors for Tigerstar to settle for. But…Exile, Violet. You two are some of the best Capturers. Try and find a scent trail and bring back Sandstorm and Sasha at any cost."

Exile nodded and he and Violet raced away.

The Guard formed a circle around the three rebellious newbies.

"Should we run?" Snakeeyes whispered nervously.

"No," Jaggedwing relpied curtly. "We'll never make it."

"We might," Amberleaf put in. "But then we might not," she added sadly.

They were herded back to the Bonehill, where Scar was giving Tigerstar a report of what happened.

"SHE ESCAPED?"

"Yes, Tigerstar, thanks to these traitors." Scar flicked his tail at Amberleaf, Jaggedwing, and Snakeeyes.

"Traitors? What did they do? Scar, tell me NOW!" Tigerstar snarled.

Scar flinched. "They fought us and slowed us down when we were trying to kill Sandstorm. It's because of them she's probably going to WindClan or ThunderClan to help for the other prisoners."

"WHAT?" Tigerstar yowled. Then, he added, "Get patrols watching the WindClan and ThunderClan border. Get them following her scent, tracking her down, and bringing her back. I won't rest until I feel her blood on my claws!"

Scar nodded and rushed away.

"So." Tigerstar turned his head to face the three now—prisoners. "Jaggedwing, this is such a pity. You had so much potential. I knew from the moment I saw you that Exile made a good decision in capturing you. And Snakeeyes, I would never have expected this from you. After saving you from BloodClan, you'd think that your loyalty to TigerClan would be everlasting. Amberleaf, I know you didn't want to be part of the Guard, but I knew that spending time in the medicine den would be a waste of your skills."

"What do we do with them, Tigerstar?" Destiny asked eagerly.

Tigerstar's eyes were empty of mercy. "What do you do? Easy. Kill them."

*****~~~!~~~*****

**O.O Cliffie! What's gonna happen? Huh? Huh? I'll let you know…if you review!**

**So now Sandstorm and Sasha are free…or ARE they? Remember, Exile and Violet are after them…**

**And Sandstorm's pregnant with Tigerstar's kits! Gasp! (Blackfoot couldn't be the father, because he and Sandstorm didn't actually "do it" do it.)**

**As a special treat, I'm going to give you one line of the next chapter. Sandstorm's POV**

"Sasha," I whispered. "Someone's watching us from that tree."

**So, who is the mysterious someone? Is it Exile or Violet? Maybe. Is it Bluestar or Spottedleaf? Maybe. Is it President Obama? Maybe not.**

**Find out on the next chapter of "I Am A Prisoner of Tigerstar"!**

**Coming to a computer near you!**

**LenzieKat out! Peace!**

***disappears***


	11. A Frenzy, Some Fish, and Friends

**I know. I KNOW! I haven't updated in over a year. I am so sorry. For a full explanation of why I've been a bad author, read the Author Note in chapter 22 of my fic ****The Growing Up Of Tigerstar****.**

**You guys probably hate me. Especially since I put a big cliffhanger last chapter. I deserve the hate. Sorry.**

**Well, enjoy this chapter. I made it long.**

**Presenting…the long-awaited chapter 11!**

"Kill them."

Amberleaf wasn't sure if she'd heard Tigerstar right.

_Kill them._

NO!

"Amberleaf!" Jaggedwing hissed in her ear. "We have to get out of here!"

Destiny, Snowcloud, Blood, and Maul advanced on them. Snakeeyes shifted nervously on her paws, searching for a possible escape.

Blood roared in her ears.

Her heart pounded wildly against her chest.

_I don't want to die._

"We're going to have to run," Jaggedwing whispered.

Blood sneered. "Prepare to die, kittypets."

"—when I say go—"

"Just kill them already!" Tigerstar yowled.

"—we'll run—"

"Say your last words," Destiny hissed.

"—straight through them."

Destiny raised a paw with unsheathed claws.

"GO!" Jaggedwing led his friends through the wall of fur and claws, and tore through it towards the trees, the safety. He didn't know whether the paws thudding behind him were friend or foe, but he didn't dare look to make sure. He ran and ran and ran…his chest hurt, and his throat was dry, but he kept running…

It seemed like forever until he heard a "Jaggedwing, they've stopped chasing us!" behind him, spoken by a voice he knew to be Amberleaf's.

Amberleaf and Snakeeyes caught up with him and slowed their pace. "I think we're safe."

"We should find them," Snakeeyes mewed softly.

"Come again?" Jaggedwing asked her.

Snakeeyes sighed. "Sandstorm and Sasha. I want to make sure they're all right…we owe it to them. And I'd also like to find Hawkshadow and Skywing—you know, the mutinees?"

"Why would we want to find them?" Jaggedwing questioned.

"Because," Snakeeyes replied seriously. "We're going to need all the help we can get if we're going to get rid of Tigerstar."

**Sandstorm's POV**

"Sandstorm!" Sasha gasped as we collapsed on some rocks. "I think we're far enough away."

I looked at our surroundings, pine trees more dense and the ground less marshy. "I think you're right. We're out of the Clans' territory completely."

Suddenly, I heard a twig snap behind me, and my muscles tensed. Then I heard running paws.

Sasha looked at me fearfully. "I think someone's watching us," she whispered.

I nodded, and then I saw something that almost made my heart stop.

"Sasha," I whispered. "Someone's watching us from that tree."

Sasha froze as she followed my gaze to a short pine tree with a pair of blinking eyes in it.

"Who's there?" I called out.

No one came out.

"Who's there?" I called again.

This time, I heard the thudding of paws, and a tom padded out to us.

"Who are you?" he meowed gravely, blinking his eyes slowly at us.

Sasha and I exchanged looks, and then Sasha nodded. "I'm Sasha, this is Sandstorm," she mewed warily. "Who are _you_?"

"I am Hawkshadow," he replied. "You look very familiar."

"As do you," I hissed. "Aren't you RiverClan? I could swear I've seen you before."

"One of the mutineers," he answered. "Skywing and I were chased away, and we took refuge here."

"Oh, right," Sasha mewed. "I remember that. Tigerstar was furious."

"It's too dangerous to try and escape to WindClan or ThunderClan," Hawkshadow sighed. "Tigerstar has patrols all along the borders."

"We've noticed," Sasha sighed. "We were racing for our lives and some of his patrols joined in the chase."

Hawkshadow was nodding, then he noticed Sandstorm's swollen belly. "You're pregnant."

Sandstorm stiffened. "Unfortunately…with Tigerstar's kits."

Hawkshadow's eyes widened. "Oh…I didn't know he had a mate."

"He doesn't," Sasha replied sadly.

Hawkshadow's look of confusion changed to one of realization. "You must come with me to camp."

"Camp?" Sasha inquired.

"I call it a camp…rather, it's my refuge with my mate, Skywing. Us and our three kits."

Sasha and Sandstorm exchanged looks. "Better than nothing," Sasha meowed.

Sandstorm hated it.

She hated the vulnerable position she was in.

She hated her pregnancy.

She hated Tigerstar.

As she and Sasha padded through the trees, their paws making no sound on the soft undergrowth. Sunlight streamed on her pelt, causing her added discomfort along with the weight of what felt like three kits. Three kits. She couldn't believe it.

What would they look like?

Toms or she-cats?

What would she name them?

"Welcome home…sort of," Hawkshadow meowed, gesturing the two she-cats into a small, secluded hollow with his tail.

Sasha ventured in cautiously, before being jumped by three squealing bundles of tabby fur.

"KITS!" Sasha screeched. "Hawkshadow, call off your kits!"

"Marshkit, Reedkit, Heatherkit! What have I told you about ambushing?"

The three kits raced over to their father and wailed apologies.

Sasha, meanwhile, got to her paws and shook dust out of her fur. "Crazy kits! I hope any I have never tackle me!"

"I'm sorry," Hawkshadow sighed. "They haven't learned manners yet." He nudged the smallest gray tabby she-kit forward. "Heatherkit is the mastermind of the group."

Heatherkit looked up with an innocent smile. "Hi!" she chirped.

Sasha jumped, still not having gotten over the ambush.

"Marshkit," Hawkshadow rested his tail on the black tom with a mischievous grin, "and Reedkit." He gestured towards the golden tom hiding behind his father."

"They're sweet," Sandstorm meowed, wondering if this was how her own kits would act.

"Sit," Hawkshadow offered.

Sandstorm sat, and gave a small gasp as she felt one of the kits move.

"What is it?" Sasha demanded, concerned for her friend.

"One of the kits moved…I was surprised, that's all."

"Do you need anything?" Hawkshadow asked. "I'm no medicine cat, but Mudfur did teach me a few things. Though you would probably do better to ask Skywing. Speaking which…" He looked at Heatherkit. "Where is Skywing?"

Heatherkit shrugged. "Left a few minutes 'fore you came back. Went 'unting to get somethin' for you to eat."

Hawkshadow nodded. "Let's hope that she can catch some prey for our two guests." He looked at Sandstorm and Sasha, eying them critically. "You two look horribly underfed."

"Tigerstar's not very generous with his rations," Sasha agreed.

Skywing chose that moment to appear, coming through the den entrance with two fish dangling from her mouth. When she saw the two newcomers, her mouth dropped open and the fish fell on the ground.

She hastily moved them to a clean, flat rock, and meowed, "Who is this?" She glared pointedly at her mate, while her kits snuck up on the fresh fish.

"Sandstorm and Sasha," Hawkshadow answered. "They are refugees fleeing from Tigerstar. They were formerly his prisoners."

Skywing's look was one of surprise. "In that case, you're very welcome to stay. We are sympathetic to any cat Tigerstar inflicts pain upon."

"And you're pregnant," she added with a quick look at Sandstorm's belly. "Who's the lucky tom?" she purred.

Sandstorm gave the gently teasing she-cat a dark look. "Tigerstar."

Skywing didn't try to hide her disgust. "Oh…" She turned to her kits. "Darlings, it's time to go to sleep. Go to your nests."

Grumbling, the three kits slipped through the lichen curtain in the den and moments later, snores could be heard.

When they had left, Skywing whispered, "Were you consenting?"

"As if I would to a sadistic killer like him!" Sandstorm hissed. "Every moment…every _second _with him was torture. If I never see him again, it'll be too soon."

Skywing laid her tail on Sandstorm's shoulder, smiling sympathetically. "I'm so sorry. But all you can do now is move on. Raise your kits, perhaps find a true mate, live life to the fullest."

"I have a mate," Sandstorm muttered. "And when he finds out, he'll hate me."

Firestar's face.

His disappointed face.

She couldn't imagine what it would be like telling him.

_I'm going to have Tigerstar's kits._

"Who?" Hawkshadow pressed.

The name felt heavy on Sandstorm's tongue. "Firestar."

"The ThunderClan leader?" he asked.

"No, the RockClan leader," Sandstorm shot back sarcastically. When she saw the shock on Sasha's face, she meowed an apology. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm just…upset."

Hawkshadow padded outside with a "I'll be right back."

"Understandable," Skywing murmured. Her eyes landed on the fish she'd caught. "I'm so sorry! Here we are talking about your trauma, while there's fresh prey and you two are starving!"

"No, it's fine," Sasha began. "We wouldn't want to take your prey. We can catch our own."

"I've already eaten today," Skywing told her. "You and Sandstorm take a fish each. We'll be fine."

Sandstorm was about to protest, but the growling in her stomach overtook pride and she bit into the fresh fish carcass Skywing dropped in front of her.

Her first reaction was to cringe, for the fish flavor was a bit too strong, but she swallowed and kept face, gulping down the rest.

When the fish were eaten, Skywing pointed out the dark sky. "We all should get some sleep."

Hawkshadow reappeared. "I made some makeshift nests for you two under a bush. It's not much, but at least you'll have a place to sleep for now."

"Thank you," Sandstorm told him gratefully. "You're a gift from StarClan."

After a couple of "good-nights" and a "may StarClan watch over you", Sasha and Sandstorm trudged out to said bush and plopped wearily in their nests.

Silence hung over them for the good for the good part of an hour, and Sandstorm was about to fall asleep when Sasha's voice interrupted.

"You may not like what I'm about to say, but—"

"If you think I won't like it, then don't say it," Sandstorm murmured sleepily.

Sasha sighed. "It's just that…I'm a tiny bit jealous."

"Of what?" Sandstorm replied curtly.

"Your kits."

Sandstorm abruptly lifted her head off her paws to glare at her friend. "You're jealous of the fact that I'm pregnant? How could you? They're _Tigerstar's_."

"Tigerstar's or not, they're still kits. And I'm jealous because I can never have any."

"You can't have kits?" Sandstorm asked.

Sasha shook her head. "No. I had a mate once and we wanted a family…but it never happened. I've always wanted a little family to care for…kits calling me Mother."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Don't worry about it." Sasha yawned. "Just…never look at your kits like they're devil spawn. Love them…cherish them…"

"I get the idea. Thanks."

"You'll be having them soon, won't you?"

Sandstorm's heart plummeted. "I suppose so. It's been a moon and a half since I was captured."

_A moon and a half._

"I'm going to sleep," Sandstorm suddenly meowed with half a sob. "Good night."

**Meanwhile, back in TigerClan…**

Featherpaw paced nervously around the small den. She and Stormpaw were alone.

Another scream sounded from the clearing outside.

She cringed. Destiny had taken everyone but Featherpaw and Stormpaw out to be tortured.

"This is awful!" Stormpaw blubbered. "I would rather be out there than in here worrying."

Featherpaw nodded, eyeing the far wall of the den.

Ever since Sandstorm had provided her with an escape plan (which Graystripe still refused to let her follow through on), Featherpaw had been secretly enlarging the tunnel Sandstorm had pointed out. Without Graystripe's knowledge, she had made it big enough to squeeze through.

A sudden idea struck her, and she almost laughed at the stupidity of it.

Perhaps to go to the end of the tunnel _now_, while she was as close to alone as possible…and maybe just take a tiny peek outside to see who was in her way.

Everyone in TigerClan must be watching the torturing…

It was broad daylight, and it was stupid, but Featherpaw decided to try it.

"Stormpaw?"

"What?"

She took a deep breath. "Remember that escape plan Sandstorm told me about?"

He nodded. "You've been working on that tunnel."

"I'm going to try to escape. Right now."

"WHAT?"

"Quiet!"

"What?" Stormpaw whispered. "Are you mousebrained? That's crazy!"

"No, it's not. Everyone is probably watching the others get tortured. It's the perfect opportunity."

"Featherpaw…"

Featherpaw took a deep breath. "Please, Stormpaw. I have to get help. I can do this." She took a pawstep towards the tunnel.

"Let me go with you, then," Stormpaw pleaded.

Featherpaw shook her head. "It's too dangerous for both of us. Besides, I need you to stay and tell Father where I've gone. And tell the guards that I knocked you out or something when you tried to stop me…anything to keep them from blaming you. Make me the villan, okay?"

Stormpaw sighed—a sign of acceptance. "Alright…promise me you'll get help as soon as possible."

She licked her brother over the ear. "I promise."

A few good-byes, and she had begun her way through the tunnel.

It was a close fit, and she thanked StarClan that she was smaller than most apprentices.

The dirt stuck to her fur and got in her eyes a few times, yet she kept moving.

Sunlight was the first clue that she'd made her way to the surface.

Relief.

Freedom.

Not yet.

Reminding her wildly beating heart that she wasn't out of the woods yet, she cautiously allowed herself to take a peek at her new surroundings.

It was still RiverClan territory.

But right next to the river. ThunderClan territory was a few foxleaps away.

Could there be luck this good?

And true to her prediction, the area was completely deserted…

…Wait.

_No!_

She burrowed down again as she heard both pawsteps and voices come her way.

A patrol.

"Firewing, stop, I smell something."

No.

No.

They scented her.

"It's one of the prisoners!" the same voice exclaimed. "I recognize the scent!"

Another voice laughed. "I think you hit your head on that rock a bit hard, Blackclaw. It's just a mouse, hiding. You go on to Mudfur, I'll see if I can catch some prey."

Blackclaw grumbled, but Featherpaw could hear his pawsteps fading.

It was all she could do to keep from shrieking as Firewing sniffed around the tunnel.

"Stupid mouse," he muttered. "Oh, well."

Featherpaw sighed in relief as he padded away.

She waited a few more minutes before she dared to emerge again.

When she did, it was heaven.

So long since she'd seen the river.

So long since she'd walked freely.

So long since she'd been alone, and not under watch from a guard member.

_Don't allow yourself leisure time. Run. Now._

She took a quick look around, making sure that there walked not a single enemy on RiverClan territory.

When she was sure she was safe for the moment, she ran.

Ran.

Fast.

Faster than she'd ever ran, all the way to the stepping-stones to cross the river.

She didn't bother wasting time, so she took a plunge into the water and swam.

Swam.

Fast.

Faster than she'd ever swam, all the way to the bank on ThunderClan territory.

Safe. She was safe.

"Thank you, StarClan," she whispered. "Thank you."

That was when she heard the yowl.

Turning around, she saw that the torturing had apparently ended, for cats were dispersing and one…

…one saw her.

Featherpaw's fur stood on end.

And she ran again. Faster. Faster. She wasn't looking where she was going.

She only knew to get as far away from RiverClan as possible.

That's why she didn't see the ThunderClan patrol, and why she ran headlong into Whitestorm.

"Featherpaw?" he exclaimed. "Graystripe's kit? What are you doing?"

Featherpaw didn't know who this cat was, but she looked into his eyes and pleaded: "Firestar. Take me to Firestar."

_End of Chapter 11_

**Well, that was an interesting chapter.**

**I know I might have moved things along a bit fast. Sorry. And I've got four different storylines to work on now…the Sandstorm and Sasha storyline, the Amberleaf and friends storyline, the Featherpaw storyline, and the prisoners storyline. Wow.**

**So Hawkshadow and Skywing are back! I named one of their kits Heatherkit because **horseloverheather **submitted Hawkshadow to me, intending him to be a she-cat, but I made him as a tom instead. Sorry, **horseloverheather**. On the plus side, you get a kit named after you!**

**What, oh what, will poor Sandstorm do with her kits?**

**Again, sorry for the EXTREMELY long hiatus. The next chapter will be up VERY soon.**

**If you have any questions, let me know in a review!**

**What will happen to Amberleaf and the gang?**

**Revriley, I PROMISE Cloudtail and Longtail will be tortured next chapter.**

**Ciao~**

**~LenzieKat**


	12. Never Again

**There's been some talk going on about Sandstorm's kits…someone even wanted the kits to die! But, as they are Tigerstar's devil spawn…**

**I wonder if anyone could guess what will happen to the kits. I bet that if you think about you could get it right. But I won't give an obvious hint because I think you will all be shocked when you find out. *sneaky grin***

"I repeat myself yet again…_where are they_?"

"And I also repeat yet again," Longtail meowed, gritting his teeth. "I know nothing. Featherpaw escaped suddenly. None of us had any knowledge of it, seeing that we were all out being tortured at the time."

Tigerstar narrowed his amber eyes, and his neck fur was standing on its ends. Overall, he looked dangerous and ready to kill, and any other cat would have backed away or bowed down in submission.

But Longtail wasn't just any other cat. He had been Tigerstar's close ally before the sinister cat was exiled. He knew some of Tigerstar's deepest secrets. He had almost been inside the dark tabby's mind. He knew Tigerstar wasn't as strong as he seemed. Longtail was afraid of many things, but he held no fear of this TigerClan leader.

"What about Stormpaw?" Tigerclaw hissed. "He and Featherpaw were left in the den alone. He must have known."

"Stormpaw was recovering from unconsciousness when we found him. Featherpaw had knocked him out in her escape to prevent him from telling anyone. He is just as much affected by his sister's selfishness as we are." Longtail winced as he said this. He knew the truth; Stormpaw had confessed to them after the guards had left. He was sick with guilt, afraid that his sister was killed by a TigerClan patrol during her escape.

"_I should have gone instead! It's all my fault!"_

"_No, it's not."_

Tigerstar was shaking with fury. "You know," he threw out. "But you're not telling me."

Longtail said nothing and stood his ground.

Tigerstar decided to switch and use a sympathy argument. "Longtail, Longtail, Longtail. What happened to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You used to be one of my strongest allies. I trusted you. I wanted to make you my deputy. Right now you could be in a position of power. Come on…tell me everything, and this could be yours…"

Longtail spat. "I know a lie when I hear one. You're pathetic, and you can count on my never joining you."

Tigerstar growled like the great beast he was named for. "You deserve every bolt of pain that will shoot through your body."

He leaped, claws outstretched. Strong muscles rippled under a smooth tabby coat glossy from three moons of eating RiverClan fish. Fangs showed under his lips, and as he landed on top of Longtail, preparing to rip, tear, and even kill this cat.

Stop…

Please…

Longtail gritted his teeth as Tigerstar nimbly sliced his hind leg and sticky, warm blood stained his fur.

Please…

Stop…

More slicing…more blood…

He finally had to scream and he felt enormous pressure put on his front paw to the point of where it seemed it would break. "STOP! PLEASE!"

Snap.

He yowled. Yowled to the world, putting every part of his pain into words. He yowled things his mother would be ashamed to hear him say, some choice phrases only the filthiest-mouthed warriors would speak.

Mudfur must have heard the foul language from the medicine den, because he raced inside Tigerstar's den, something he wasn't normally allowed to do.

His jaws dropped when he saw Longtail, bleeding and broken, still swearing on the ground. "Tigerstar…unless you're aiming to kill him, I would suggest you end this. Now."

Tigerstar pulled his lips back to show teeth. "And when were you given authorization to tell me what to do?"

Mudfur drew himself up to full height. "Since Firestar probably is plotting an attack on you right now."

Tigerstar unsheathed his claws. "Very well. Take this scum and do whatever you want with him. I don't care anymore."

As Longtail was dragged away, Tigerstar contemplated his situation. He never expected his reign as leader to go like this…three prisoners escaped, half his Guard trainees AWOL…Dark Forest help him, he was losing his touch…

**Back to Featherpaw and a very emotional conversation between her, Firestar, and Tallstar**

She was shaking. From the tips of her ears to the bottoms of her paws, Featherpaw was shaking. She was free. She was safe. She was in front of the great ThunderClan leader.

And she was scared. Scared that Tigerstar would come after her, or worse—hurt her brother, father, and friends. If they were killed, it would be all her fault.

After she had run into the ThunderClan patrol, Whitestorm had listened to her pleas and taken her straight to Firestar. In a remarkable coincidence, Tallstar happened to be visiting, and in the time it takes to catch a few rabbits, Featherpaw was seated in front of two leaders, hyperventilating and preparing to tell her story.

_Calm down. They'll think you're weak._

_No they won't. Tell them fast, though, so Stormpaw can be saved sooner._

_But he can't just march in and demand them back. He'll have to gather an army._

_By then, all your friends might be dead._

A frenzy of thoughts ran through her head, and it was a good ten minutes before she calmed down enough to say: "I'm—Featherpaw—Graystripe's—kit."

Firestar nodded reassuringly, his warm green eyes encouraging her. "Go on."

Featherpaw gulped and tried to slow down. "Tigerstar…" was the only word she got out.

"What about Tigerstar?" Tallstar growled.

"Well…you know all the cats that have been disappearing? Onewhisker, Cinderpelt, Longtail, Cloudtail, Sandstorm…"

Firestar's face hardened when she mentioned his mate's name, but flicked his tail, indicating that she should continue.

"Well…Tigerstar has them."

"What? No, that can't be. He has warriors missing as well." Tallstar shook his head, as if trying to convince himself.

"No!" Featherpaw wailed. "He's lying…trying to get the suspecting eye off of him! He has Stormpaw and Graystripe, Cloudtail and Longtail, Ravenpaw, Princess, Cinderpelt, Onewhisker, Mistyfoot and Stonefur, all of them! They're imprisoned in a fox den on RiverClan territory…"

"What about Sandstorm?" Firestar whispered.

Featherpaw looked at him, and saw the silent grieving. "She's gone. I heard some cats talking about her. I don't know where she is."

Firestar silently cursed.

"We'll find her," Tallstar told the distraught ginger leader. "In the meantime, we need to figure out how to get the others free."

Firestar shook his head. "No. We need to get rid of Tigerstar."

Once and for all.

**Let's check on Amberleaf's little gang…**

They were free. Free. No longer would they have to bow to Tigerstar's every command. No longer would they have to hurt cats needlessly. Free.

Amberleaf couldn't believe it.

Unfortunately, Snakeeyes and Jaggedwing didn't quite share her opinions.

The day after the escape she and Jaggedwing got into yet another argument.

"I can't believe you got us into this, Amberleaf!" Jaggedwing meowed exasperatedly. "Tigerstar will never accept us again!"

"I don't _want _Tigerstar's acceptance!" Amberleaf told him. "He's an evil cat…why would you want to stay with him?"

"I don't love the idea of torturing every cat we come across, but he has a good idea in merging all four Clans."

"He's full of fox dung!"

"_You're_ full of fox dung!"

"Your _mother's_ full of fox dung!"

"Be quiet!" Snakeeyes yelled. "You're both acting like kits!"

Amberleaf and Jaggedwing quieted instantly and exchanged awkward looks.

"It doesn't matter what we think of Tigerstar right now. Right now our lives are in danger…Destiny might still be looking for us, remember?"

All three of them shuddered at the mention of the twisted she-cat.

"Sandstorm and Sasha ran this way. Let's see if there's any way we can find them and try to get past the patrols into ThunderClan. I'm sure Firestar can help us." Snakeeyes sighed and shuffled her paws. "Let's go catch some—"

"Not _another _group of refugees!"

The three runaway Guard members turned around to see a black-striped tabby tom glaring at them, his fur on end. "First Sandstorm and Sasha, now—"

"Sandstorm?" Amberleaf questioned. "You know Sandstorm?"

"Hardly," the tom replied curtly. "Met her yesterday when she and her friend were running from Tigerstar. Pregnant, she is, with that maniac's kits."

"_WHAT?" _all three of them exclaimed.

Amberleaf recovered first. "That can't be. Tigerstar already has kits…They live in ThunderClan."

The tom rolled his eyes. "Unless you are very ignorant in the laws of nature, it _is _possible to father more than one litter of kits." His sigh turned to a growl. "Who are you?"

"We're just some loners—" Jaggedwing started to say, but he was interrupted by Snakeeyes.

"I don't want to lie," she said. "We were part of Tigerstar's guard—very unwillingly, I might add—but we escaped and are looking for someone to help us overthrow him. But right now we need shelter and to find Sandstorm and Sasha. Will you help us?"

The tom glared at them. "Well, I suppose I can trust you. I'm Hawkshadow. You might have heard of me. I led a mutiny against Tigerclaw in RiverClan about two moons back. My mate and I came here looking for peace, but it doesn't look like we're going to get that deal. Come with me."

Beckoning with his tail, he took them to the small den in the heart of the forest. Sandstorm saw them first.

Her jaw dropped. "You guys are alive…"

"Barely made it," Amberleaf meowed. "Tigerstar wanted our blood."

"Hawkshadow, these are the cats who saved me and Sasha's pelts," Sandstorm told him. "Remember, I was telling you about them?"

Hawkshadow nodded. "So they can be trusted?"

Sandstorm nodded. "Yes. Absolutely."

"Are you and Sasha all right?" Snakeeyes asked. "Tigerstar sent Exile and Violet after you."

Sandstorm purred. "We took a turn and lost them. Good thinking on Sasha's part. I think they were expecting us to head for ThunderClan territory, because that's where they headed."

Jaggedwing nodded. "Good…they rely on nose more than brain."

"Where's everyone else?" Hawkshadow asked Sandstorm.

"Skywing is giving Sasha and the kits a fishing lesson. She thought I should stay here because my kits are going to be born soon."

Hawkshadow nodded absentmindedly. "All right then. Might you help me set up some nests for our guests?"

Sandstorm nodded, and the five of them went off in search of nests.

**OoOoOoO**

**Yes, I know it wasn't as good as it should have been. It was mostly a filler chapter, sorry. But I wanted to show you guys that I WILL update.**

Next, Firestar has an argument with some StarClan cats, an escape attempt ends in disaster, and Sandstorm has her long-awaited kits.

**Please review! I'm almost to 150 reviews! Thanks! You guys are AMAZING.**

**One last note—you might have noticed that there's a lot less torturing going on in the last two chapters I've posted. This story had started to become too much blood, guts, and gore without much of a storyline, and that wasn't the turn I wanted it to take. So I toned down the violence and decided to make the storyline more…plot-ful.**

**You know what? I think I'm going to answer some of those deeply personal questions.**

_**What is the worst thing you have ever had to deal with? **_**My cat stepped in a mud puddle and I had to give her a bath…scratch, scratch. Bleed, bleed. Ow, ow.**

_**What is your deepest secret? **_**I've always had a problem with overdoses…on chocolate. Talk about sugar highs. (: (But chocolate is just **_**so **_**good!)**

**Peace, Love, and Review!**

**~LenzieKat**


	13. Just Like You

**Ello!**

**So, this chapter, Sandstorm finally has her devil spawn…I mean, kitties.**

**Amandald98**_**, **_**thanks for telling me about the POV stuff. I'll try to improve my POVs and make them a bit…spicier? Something like that.**

**So, here comes anger and kits and angry kits!**

**5…4…3…2…1…BLAST OFF!**

Firestar knew he should go outside to where ThunderClan and WindClan both were gathering by the Highrock. He knew Tallstar didn't want to start the meeting without him. _You're a leader, for crying out loud. Get your ginger butt out there_, his mind kept telling him.

But he couldn't get rid of the angry red daze blinding him. Fury flooded his veins, and he unsheathed his claws, making long grooves in the ground beneath him. Hatred for Tigerstar was the only thing he felt right now. Never had he detested the dark tabby like this, not even when Tigerstar had tried to annihilate ThunderClan via dog pack.

Rip his throat out.

Sandstorm could be dead right now, and it was because of the most evil cat that ever walked the forest and dishonored the name of the Clans.

You mouse-brained fool.

"Spottedleaf," he wailed. "Why didn't you tell me? You knew, you knew!"

A slight brush against his fur. _I'm sorry._

"Firestar?" Tallstar padded through the lichen that formed the entrance of the leader's den. "We're ready to start the meeting." His voice radiated sympathy with a firm edge.

Firestar took a deep breath and let go of his anger for the time being. "Coming." He turned and followed the black-and-white WindClan leader out into the gathering area—the center of the ThunderClan camp. Both of them ascended the Highrock, and immediately all eyes were on them.

Featherpaw sat in the middle of the mass of cats, not siding with either of the two gathered Clans. She turned her sad, blue eyes on Firestar's angry green ones. _Please save my brother and father._

As soon as Firestar began to speak, the chattering died down and every cat listened.

"You all know why we stand here today." An encouraging smile from Tallstar. "Tigerstar has captured many cats."

Outraged yowls broke out.

"Rip his head off!"

"He captured Onewhisker! He must be killed!"

"Stealing our medicine cat! That's unforgivable!"

"Get rid of him, once and for all!"

"QUIET!" In his anger, Firestar yelled louder and harsher than he meant. "I mean—could you please listen?" He took another deep breath. "Tigerstar has captured numerous cats, including innocent Rainkit."

Willowpelt let out a wail of grief, fearing that her kit was dead. **(A/N: I know I haven't mentioned Rainkit in SO long, but just to let you know, he's being cared for by a RiverClan queen. Featherpaw doesn't know where he is, so they all think he's dead. BUT HE'S NOT! Just saying.)**

Firestar comforted the grieving mother. "Don't worry. We'll find him. We'll find them all." He swallowed, trying to get rid of the lump in his throat and the burning sensation in his eyes. He found it was harder to talk. He might never get Sandstorm back.

Tallstar understood and took over. "We must fight Tigerstar and rescue these captured cats. With Featherpaw on our side, an insider, we will be able to overthrow TigerClan and restore the forest to normal again."

Cheers sounded in Firestar's ears.

Whitestorm stepped forward. "Firestar, Tallstar, I would be honored to help in this rescue mission." He dipped his head respectfully.

Firestar gave his deputy a nod in return. "Thank you, Whitestorm."

After Whitestorm volunteered, many others began to as well, until all their talking became a distant buzzing in Firestar's ears.

He couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was wrong.

And little did he know that something was.

**OoOoOoO**

Tigerstar paced in his den. "When is she going to come?"

Blood reassured his leader. "She said moonhigh, so soon."

Tigerstar growled. He hated lateness. "I hope she lives up to her reputation. Maul spoke highly of her."

"She's never failed in any mission given to her," Blood meowed. "Every cat returned, a perfect record."

Tigerstar didn't respond. He laid his head on his paws and flicked his tail irritably. As the seconds turned into long minutes, he grew more and more annoyed. Any cat to deceive him would pay the price.

At last, Runningnose poked his head in the den. "Tigerstar, you have a visitor."

"It's about time. Let her in."

He narrowed his eyes as a brown tabby she-cat stalked into the den. Her blue-gray eyes were like chips of ice—cold, hard, and emotionless.

"You're Tawny?"

The she-cat nodded. "Tigerstar?"

"Yes…Blood, could you leave?" Tigerstar motioned to him to get out.

Blood did so, and Tigerstar took another look at this newcomer, Tawny. She was skinny, but he could see lean muscles under her coat. Good. She wasn't weak. Her pelt was spotless, with the exception of one scar running across her right eye.

"What do you want me for?" Tawny asked.

"I heard you're a tracker. That you can pick up the scent of any cat and track them down."

Tawny nodded. "Been my life for's long as I can remember. Depending on how many you want me to find and the urgency, I can find 'em. Never failed yet."

"There's two. Well, only one is my priority, but I think they're both together, and I'd appreciate a package deal. Their names are Sandstorm and Sasha. Sandstorm's the one I want. She escaped about a half moon ago."

"Hmm…two preferably, a half moon. I can get 'em, but I've got to be paid somethin' in advance. What do you have for me?"

"For Sandstorm…" Tigerstar growled. "I'd give anything. Hunting rights in TigerClan territory for two moons and the ability to come and go as you please."

Tawny nodded, secretly pleased. This was a better offer than what she would have expected. "I'll take it. Now show me where I can get a whiff of their scent."

Tigerstar nodded and led the tracker outside in the direction of the forest where Sandstorm and Sasha's bramble den had been. "This is where they lived."

Tawny gave it a disgusted look. "Horrible nests, no protection against cold, stench of fear…you keepin' prisoners in here, Tigerstar?"

She had caught him off guard, and he unsheathed his claws. "You have no right to accuse me—"

Tawny laughed. "Don't get your tail in a twist. I don't care if you killed cats here, kept 'em prisoner, or worshiped them. I only wanna get paid for finding 'em. Don't care if my employer is good or bad, so long as he don't kill me."

"Oh." Tawny was unlike any cat Tigerstar had ever met. No alliance, just greed.

Tawny was sniffing the nests, grasping the scent. "Who's scent's who's?"

"The one that smells like sweet herbs is Sandstorm's…the other is Sasha's." Tigerstar wished more than anything that he had Sandstorm next to him again, but not looking at him with fear and disgust.

Tawny nodded. "Gotcha. So, when'd they escape again?"

"They didn't _escape_," Tigerstar growled gritting his teeth. "I wasn't keeping them prisoner. They had free will."

"Then why you sending me to go find 'em, if they've got that free will you're talking 'bout? Sounds like they don't want to come back."

Tigerstar hissed, the fur on the back on his neck standing up. He unsheathed his claws.

Tawny saw that he was getting all worked up, the way she liked to tease others. "You're gettin' madder than a snake being poked by a Twoleg." She laughed.

Tigerstar frowned. "They _left _about a half moon ago. It was a…misunderstanding. We fought. They left. I want them back so I can…apologize."

Tawny now gave him the look one might give an ignorant kit. "I jus' told you I don't care if you're good or bad. Murderer or lover, so long as you pay me I'm good."

A nod. "So when are you going to have them back?"

"Half moon in the least. Two moons max, but I'd be appalled if it took me that long."

"Nice doing business with you, Tawny."

"Same to you, Tigerstar."

Without another word the tracker slinked off, her pelt blending into the shadows.

**OoOoOoO**

"Amberleaf, are you going to eat that mouse?"

It had been three quarter moons (**three weeks)** since the escaped Guard trainees, Sandstorm, and Sasha had joined Hawkshadow's little family. They had grown close, all ten of them, and had formed something like a small Clan—"WantedClan" as Hawkshadow affectionately called it, on account of Tigerstar wanting all their blood.

Hawkshadow was of course the unofficial but unanimous leader, and spent quite a bit of time away keeping a sharp eye out for any TigerClan guards sent their way. He would usually leave a bit after dawn, return at noon, then leave again, returning an hour or so later

Skywing was at first wary of all the newcomers, but she eventually warmed up to them and now had chosen to become Sandstorm's temporary caretaker, teaching her the many ways of kits and their upbringing. And the information was much needed, as Sandstorm's kits were due any day now. She was getting rounder and rounder, and had taken to staying in the makeshift camp.

Right now they—minus Snakeeyes, who was still sleeping—were sitting down to a morning meal of mice and voles. The three kits ate in a hurry, now used to the taste of solid food, and distracted the others with squeals and laughs from their game of Rat Attack. Heatherkit always took the role of noble Clan leader, while Reedkit, as the smallest of the litter, got stuck playing the rat.

"I apologize for my kits," Skywing sighed. Yet her eyes showed affection as she glanced at the rambunctious young cats.

"It's quite all right," Sasha told her, her eyes showing the same affection with a hint of wistfulness.

Sandstorm felt a pang of guilt when she remembered that Sasha had always wanted kits but never had any. And here she was, small lives kicking inside her, and she was still ungrateful. _I will try not to despise them_, she thought.

As if on cue, one of the kits decided to thank her by kicking her, hard, against her ribcage.

_For that you're going to be grounded once more than your siblings, _Sandstorm told it silently.

"Are you going to eat that mouse?" Jaggedwing repeated.

Amberleaf looked up from the fresh mouse carcass, which she'd been pondering thoughtfully. "No, I don't think so. Here." She hooked it on her claw and tossed it to her friend.

Snakeeyes chose that moment to appear, yawning. "Sorry I'm late. Any prey left?"

Sasha shook her head. "Sorry. Jaggedwing's a big eater."

Jaggedwing shrugged, unapologetic. "Well, you didn't seem to be that hungry."

"I was asleep!" Snakeeyes protested.

"And that's my fault how?"

Snakeeyes rolled her eyes. "Who wants to come hunting with me?"

"I will," Amberleaf volunteered.

Sasha also said yes, and then attention was drawn to Sandstorm when she did the same.

"You need to stay in camp," Skywing protested. "Your kits are due soon."

"Nothing's happened today," Sandstorm meowed. "I'm sure I'll be fine."

Skywing didn't look so sure. "Kits can come at any time—"

"For StarClan's sake, Skywing, you're not the medicine cat, nor her mother," Hawkshadow interrupted. When his mate glared at him, he smiled reassuringly and told her, "Sandstorm will be fine."

Skywing nodded, but not happily. "Go on, then. Get some fresh air."

"Thanks," Sandstorm yelled over her shoulder as she and the other three padded away in search of prey.

!#$%^&

As the sun rose and heat began to prick at all their fur, Amberleaf suddenly heard the crunching of leaves that meant squirrel. "Yes!" She ran after it in a flurry of paws and tail.

The others raced after her, aware that she was heading into unknown territory. "Amberleaf! Come back!"

As Sandstorm's paws thudded against the ground, she started slowing and panting because of the heat and extra weight she was carrying. "Hey!" she called. "Wait!"

Only Sasha heard her. The she-cat returned to her friend, concerned. "What is it?"

Sandstorm was about to reply, "Just tired," when a sharp pang hit her inside. The pure impact of it made her cry in pain, and the pain rippled down her spine. Then came another.

Sasha had been around a pregnant queen before, and recognized these ominous signs. _Great StarClan, why now? It seems like Skywing knew this would happen._

"Sandstorm," she managed to get out, "I think you're going into labor."

Sandstorm looked at her, shocked. Then she chose to spit out a few very colorful phrases, the most tame of which was, "Fox dung."

Right in the middle of insulting Tigerstar's mother, another contraction came, and she gasped in pain again. Sasha was starting to fear for her friend. She calculated what would be safer—to take Sandstorm to Skywing, or to bring Skywing to Sandstorm. She decided on the former, as it would be faster. "Sandstorm, get up and lean against me. I'm going to take you back to camp." She nudged her friend up and they began the long trek back to camp.

"I HATE YOU!" Sandstorm shrieked when they were about halfway there.

"I'm sorry!" Sasha cried. "I'm trying to help!"

"Not _YOU_!" Sandstorm shouted. "The heap of dung Tigerstar! When I get a hold of him, I'm going to…" She went on to list several ways that she would kill Tigerstar when she next saw him. They included feeding him to ravenous dogs, getting him speared in the gorge by rocks, violently attacked by rats, and dead from slow, agonizing blood loss, preferably in the tummy area.

Sasha couldn't help but to smile a bit at the last one, but the smile turned to horror as Sandstorm suddenly dropped on the ground, unconscious, several fox-leaps from the camp. "SANDSTORM!" Sasha screamed. She raced towards the camp, now shouting, "SKYWING! SKYWING!"

Skywing appeared around a tree trunk, her eyes wide with fear. "Is it Sandstorm?"

Sasha nodded, and Skywing ran with her to the spot where Sandstorm lay, seeming asleep. Skywing shook her shoulder with a paw. "She's unconscious. Come on, we can both support her to my den." They got Sandstorm sort-of-standing pressed between them. With shaky steps, they got her to the camp and laid her down in one of the mossy nests.

Skywing's kits popped in with curious looks, and Sasha had to shoo them away.

"Are Jaggedwing and Hawkshadow gone?" Sasha asked.

Skywing nodded but didn't say anything. She was trying to restore Sandstorm to consciousness as contractions rippled down the she-cat's body. "Come on, Sandstorm, wake up, wake up."

Sandstorm's eyes finally fluttered open, and she yowled in pain.

"Sandstorm! Are you okay?" Sasha asked.

"No! Fox dung! I'm in so much pain I could rip Tigerstar's head off!" Sandstorm yowled again.

"Sandstorm, calm down! There's a kit coming!"

_His kit. Not mine._

Sandstorm screeched louder than ever as a small, wet bundle slipped out.

Skywing nipped it open so the kit could breathe. Sasha gasped in wonder. "It's a girl, Sandstorm! You have a daughter!"

Sandstorm didn't hear. She was barely conscious now.

The kit squealed as Sasha licked her, frantically trying to warm the newborn up.

"I think there's only one more coming," Skywing assessed, feeling Sandstorm's heaving belly with a paw.

One more contraction, and the second and last kit breathed its first breath of air. It was a tom.

As the pain lessened, Sandstorm was able to move and see her newborn kits. Sasha showed her the she-kit first. Sandstorm's daughter looked like her mother, just darker. She had golden tabby fur, which Sandstorm supposed was the result of her ginger coat and Tigerstar brown one. Another noticeable feature was her triangular shaped face.

As she mewed—loudly—Sasha asked, "What are you going to name her?"

Sandstorm smiled softly. "She reminds me of my mother's mother, Mothpelt. So I think I'll call her…Mothkit."

Mothkit squealed until Sasha gently nudged her to Sandstorm's belly, where the kit latched on, purring.

Skywing brought over the tom.

Sandstorm's heart skipped a beat, and she gasped in horror.

The tom looked exactly like _him._

Tigerstar.

The same dark brown tabby coat, the same broad shoulders, and even longer than normal claws when the tiny tom stretched his paws.

"He looks just like Tigerstar," Sasha mewed softly.

Sandstorm felt an uncomfortable feeling rising up inside her. It would have been so much easier not to feel resentment if one of her kits had not been an exact copy of the cat she hated so much.

"What do you want to name him?" Sasha asked.

Deathkit. Torturekit. Evilkit. Betrayalkit.

As the screech of a hawk sounded above, all three older she-cats yelped and Skywing rushed outside to make sure her own kits were safe.

Hawks. Ominous, cruel, killing creatures.

"His name will be Hawkkit," Sandstorm meowed. She drew her son to her belly with her tail.

As both son and daughter drew in their first experiences of life, Sandstorm looked at them.

Tigerstar's kits.

_Please, StarClan. Don't let him turn out like his father._

…

**So, the mystery of Sandstorm's kits has been solved. I wonder if any of you can guess NOW what will happen to the kits, from the clues I've provided in the story so far.**

**And if you don't know WHO the kits are, then, no offense, you're really mousebrained. Unless you haven't read past The Darkest Hour. Then I forgive you.**

**So, please review and let me know what you think of this twist on the story. Some of you were thinking that Squirrelflight and Leafpool would be the kits. They couldn't be, though, because they were born about six moons after Tigerstar died. I know this story isn't canon, but still…Plus, even if there was a possibility that I could have made Squirrel and Leaf Tigerstar's kids, I wouldn't have, because Squirrelflight is Brambleclaw's mate and that would have been incest in the Warrior's World! Yeah, I know…gross.**

**Next, an army gathers on both sides, the prisoners experience some grief, Sasha suspects that someone's watching them, and Sandstorm has some second thoughts on life.**

**Anyway, see ya later!**

**~poof~**


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